With coup, quiet #Mali generates noise on Twitter
Yesterday, while reporting on breaking news in Mali from studios in Atlanta, CNN Wire Newsdesk Editor Faith Karimi made an ominous observation that presaged the outcome of developments unfolding 5,000 miles away. “#Mali president @PresidenceMali has not tweeted in 10 hours after reports of gunfire and a coup attempt,” she tweeted.
Mali’s press: The paradox of its two faces
In terms of freedom of expression and democratic and media pluralism, Mali is undeniably today one of the leading countries in francophone Africa. In this year marking the 50th anniversary of Mali’s independence, the country’s media pool includes 300 private FM radio stations, and about 50 newspapers and periodicals. This incredible blossoming of the Malian press is due to…
CPJ, African groups call for press freedom commitment
Your Excellencies: As you gather in Paris for festivities that celebrate your nations’ 50 years of independence, we, the undersigned African press freedom advocates petition for your public commitment to a free, vibrant, and self-sustaining press as a cornerstone of the development of francophone Africa in the next five decades.
Attacks on the Press 2007: Middle East and North Africa Snapshots
AlgeriaBahrainJordanKuwaitLibyaMauritaniaSudan Syria ALGERIA • Authorities arrested Kamel Bousaad, editor of the pro-Islamist weekly Errissala, on February 8 and Berkane Bouderbala, managing editor of the weekly Essafir, on February 11, after their newspapers published controversial Danish cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad. The editors faced charges under Article 144 of the penal code for insulting the Prophet…
In Mali, politician assaults journalist over election coverage
New York, July 31, 2007—A few days after being assaulted and threatened by a parliamentarian-elect, a reporter in southern Mali has filed a complaint in a local court. Local politician Mamadou Sinayoko attacked reporter Adama Coulibaly, a presenter at community Radio Kafo-Kan in the southern city of Bougouni, 462 miles (743 km) south of the…
CPJ condemns convictions in Malian school essay case
New York, June 26, 2007—Five Malian journalists who covered a high school essay assignment—and the teacher who commissioned the lesson—were convicted today of insulting President Amadou Toumani Toure, according to news reports and local journalists. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the verdicts, which stemmed from a classroom exercise about an imaginary presidential sex scandal,…
More Malian journalists jailed in high school essay crackdown
New York, June 21, 2007—Authorities in the capital Bamako have jailed five journalists in a week—the first arrests in the country since 2003—in the aftermath of an article about a high school essay assignment concerning an imaginary presidential sex scandal. Director Hameye Cissé of the private weekly Le Scorpion, and directors Birama Fall of Le…
In Mali, high school essay assignment lands journalist in prison
New York, June 15, 2007— A state prosecutor in Mali jailed a journalist for an article about a high school essay assignment in which the students were asked to write about a fictional sex scandal involving a president and his mistress. Seydina Oumar Diarra, an editor for the private daily newspaper Info-Matin, was questioned for…