This week marks a significant change in the press freedom
climate for journalists in West Africa: Journalists, media organizations, and
activists in the region fought back against attacks and censorship against the
press, in contrast to a decade ago, when the media was too oppressed and scared
to speak out. In
On Monday, the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) imposed a news blackout on police activities in an effort to demand justice for journalists who were violently assaulted by police last month. Police personnel at the country's State House in the capital, Freetown, assaulted eight journalists covering a meeting between the two major political parties--the ruling All People's Congress Party and the opposition Sierra Leone People's Party--on August 13.
One of the reporters beaten was Alima Fofana, a reporter for The Exclusive newspaper. Fofana was beaten and kicked and then dragged onto the street in front of the State House entrance. She lost all her belongings in the struggle. The police ignored a joint police and SLAJ inquiry into the incident, SLAJ Assistant Secretary-General Mustapha Sesay reported. But after SLAJ President Phillip Neville issued a formal complaint and launched the press blackout on police reporting, the chairman of the Police Council, Sam Sumana, apologized to SLAJ and appealed to the association to lift the ban.
In mid-September,
"An arrest warrant was delivered against me, but I still don't know what I did wrong," Bah said.
The journalists were released from police custody but the suspension order banned all of the paper's reporters from working for another media outlet during the suspension period. Some journalists consider La Vérité to be too closely aligned to former Prime Minister Lansana Kouyate. But this did not stop journalists and media organizations from rallying together this week to protest at the CNC, demanding that the suspension be lifted. Three media organizations--the Guinean Editors Association of the Independent Press, the Association of Guinean Journalists, and the Free Press Publishers Convention--among others, said they also plan to hold a meeting with the CNC president.
Finally, the
Security personnel raided the station's offices, and the broadcasting commission suspended the station--despite the fact its chairman, John Momoh, issued an apology to President Umaru Yar'Adua for the mistake. Falana also led the prosecution against the Gambian government in an ECOWAS court case, demanding Gambian authorities release the former Daily Observer journalist, Ebrima Manneh, who was arrested in 2006 and hasn't been heard from since.
Print
Share
Delicious
Digg
Facebook
Google
NewsVine
Reddit
StumbleUpon
Subscribe
My name is Alberto DABO, I'm Reuters Agency correspondent in Guinea-Bissau. In Guinea-Bissau too the press freedom is violated. For example, in June 2007, the interior minister held me in his office during 4 hours time .
The reasons: he has tried to force me withdraw my story about the involvment of the high ranking officers in drog traficquing. He threated me with emprisonment. When he saw that I refused to give up he released me;
On the matter about drug smuggling, I was tried on 24 of may this year, because the chief of the navy has accused me of diffamation.
This trial is not yet over because the chief of staff of the navy who failed in a state coup attempt has fled the country.
It is really wonderful that our colleagues out there stood up to defend their rights, this is how it should be , it is time that we act and then those who wish to help can find us on it. Bravo coleguea I hope we in the gambia cac also do the same owing to the fact that we are suffering as well. GREAT KEEP THE FIGHT.
It is heartening to see what a good job the CPJ is doing in bringing the excesses of various African governments against the Press to the attention of the world. I wish the CPJ to follow up the Channels issue and see that justice is done. Nobody is above mistake and since Channels had apologised over its mistake, the closure of the station for three days shows the undemocratic nature of the present government wven in the continued propaganda of following the 'rule of law.'
This is good work but African human rights and labour groups need to do more. As Prof. Wole Soyinka says, "The man died who keep silent in the face of oppression."
the silence of these groups in the African continent has contributed a lot to the "divine" powers with which African leaders clothe themselves.
I agree. This is a good work. I consider the injustice as a fight against divine law giver.
Human government should have a re-think and stop forth-with the uncivilized act of arrest, torture and in fact warring against human dignity.
However, there is need for continued fight to keep the law, follow the law and maintaining the rule of law even in Nigeria. Journalists should be allowed to work freely so as to make needed justice available to all.
Hello
I've just registered to say your site is very useful and nicely done!
Thank you very much for your work.
Cheers!
Sorry for offtopic.