**We apologise for any cross-posting - The following is being forwarded exactly
as received**

To: IFEX Autolist (other news of interest)
From: World Association of Newspapers (WAN), [email protected]

His Excellency Chief Olusegun Obasanjo
President, Federal Republic of Nigeria
c/o Permanent Representative to UN
E-mail: [email protected]

29 November 2002

Your Excellency,

We are writing on behalf of the World Association of Newspapers and the World
Editors Forum, which represent 18,000 publications in 100 countries, to express
our serious concern at the proclamation of a fatwa against journalist Isioma
Daniel.

According to reports, on 26 November the government of the majority-Muslim
northern state of Zamfara announced that a fatwa calling on Muslims to kill Ms
Daniel had been issued in response to her allegedly blasphemous article
published in ThisDay newspaper on 16 November.

The article claimed that the Prophet Mohammed might have considered marrying a
Miss World contestant had he seen them and sparked rioting in which about 200
people were killed, despite several published apologies by the paper and the
resignation of Ms Daniel.

While publication of the article might have been ill-advised, we respectfully
call on you to do everything in your power to ensure that the fatwa against Ms
Daniel is repealed and that all steps necessary to ensure her protection are
taken.

We look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

Yours sincerely,

Seok Hyun Hong
President
World Association of Newspapers

Gloria Brown Anderson
President
World Editors Forum

**The information contained in this autolist item is the sole responsibility of
WAN**