(JED/IFEX) - The president of the Chad Union of Privately-Owned Radio Stations (URPT), Tchanguiz Vatankhah, was released on 19 May 2006 at approximately 3:00 p.m. (local time), after 20 days in detention at the police headquarters (Services Généraux des Renseignements) in N'Djamena, the capital of Chad.
JED joined Tchanguiz by telephone after he left the prison. Tchanguiz said that he had been released by public security and immigration minister Routouang Yoma Golom, on the condition that he would renounce his activities with the URPT.
Tchanguiz was arrested on the morning of 28 April 2006 by plain-clothed police officers who detained him secretly, over several days, at police headquarters (Services Généraux des Renseignements).
Tchanguiz was criticised for having declared in an official public statement that he was in favour of the postponement of the last presidential election held on 3 May.
The journalist has been on hunger strike since the beginning of May to demand the right to see his lawyer and family members. He ended his hunger strike on 17 May after receiving a visit from human rights minister Abderaman Djasnabaille and minister of public security and immigration Routouang Yoma Golom, who had ordered his arrest, along with the chief of police.
