Africa
2007
Stories critical of president trigger charges
New York, February 28, 2007—Stories critical of President Laurent Gbagbo led authorities this week to charge four journalists working for two private newspapers in the commercial capital, Abidjan, with offending the head of state, according to news reports and local journalists. “We are concerned by this apparent crackdown on critical reporting,” said CPJ Executive Director…
In DRC, journalist sentenced to prison
New York, February 27, 2007— The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns a three-month prison sentence and heavy damages handed down by a court in the southeastern city of Boma against a journalist over a story alleging corruption by the municipal treasury. Popol Ntula Vita, a correspondent at the private weekly La Cité Africaine in the…
ZIMBABWE: Journalists fined under repressive law
FEBRUARY 24, 2007 Posted March 21, 2007 Peter Moyo, E.TV HARASSED, LEGAL ACTION Moyo, a producer of the private South Africa-based E.TV, was convicted of violating Zimbabwe’s Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) and fined 4,000 Zimbabwean dollars (US$16) by a court in the eastern city of Mutare, according to the Media…
Media group journalists in Benin sentenced to prison
New York, February 21, 2007–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns criminal convictions handed down on Friday in Benin against three journalists and an executive of private Golfe media group over a February 2005 story alleging governmental corruption. A court in the capital Cotonou sentenced Golfe media group President Ismael Soumano, former Golfe FM Director Euloge…
In Somalia, broadcasters warned to censor their coverage
New York, February 20, 2007— Somalia’s UN-backed transitional government on Monday said they would censor three private broadcasters over their coverage of deadly unrest in the capital Mogadishu, according to news reports and local journalists. At least 12 people died and thousands fled the city on Monday after fierce artillery exchanges between Ethiopian-backed government troops…
In Mozambique, court upholds conviction of Carlos Cardoso’s killers
New York, February 16, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes this week’s ruling by a Mozambican court to reject the appeals of six hired killers of leading investigative journalist Carlos Cardoso. Cardoso was gunned down on November 22, 2000, while investigating the 1996 embezzlement of US$14 million from the state-controlled Commercial Bank of Mozambique (BCM).
In Sudan, two editors accused of sedition
New York, February 14, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned by the recent detention of two Sudanese editors and the temporary closure of their newspaper after they interviewed religious militants last week. At around midnight on February 7, a Sudanese security officer visited the home of Adil Sid Ahmed, deputy editor-in-chief of the…
CPJ condemns media crackdown under martial law in Guinea
New York, February 14, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by reports of increasing government crackdowns on the media after President Lansana Conté declared martial law on Monday in response to deadly unrest in the country. 112 people have died since union leaders launched a national strike last month to demand the resignation of…