In Senegal, journalist sentenced to prison
New York, April 18, 2007—A court in the capital, Dakar, handed a prison sentence and heavy damages against a tabloid director on criminal defamation charges over a story trumpeting an alleged high-profile corruption scandal, according to local journalists and news reports. Ndiogou Wack Seck of the private, pro-government daily Il Est Midi was sentenced to…
NIGERIA: Intelligence agents raid private TV over political program
APRIL 17, 2007 Posted April 27, 2007 African Independent Television Ray Power FM HARASSED, CENSORED Agents of the presidential State Security Service (SSS), backed by police, raided the studios of the private African Independent Television (AIT) in the capital Abuja, pulled a paid political program off the air and seized tapes of all commercially sponsored…
In Malawi, private radio stations censored over political coverage
New York, April 13, 2007—Live radio broadcasts of opposition rallies in the lead-up to presidential polls in 2009 led state regulators in the commercial city of Blantyre this week to bar all private radio stations in Malawi from airing live broadcasts without permission, according to local journalists and media reports. Officials accused unnamed stations of…
Somali government detains three TV journalists
New York, April 11, 2007— Three journalists of Somali-language international broadcaster Universal Television were arrested in the capital Mogadishu in connection with questions they asked during a presidential interview, according to local journalists. On Sunday, director Abdulkader Ashir Nadara, reporter Bashir Dirie Naleye, and cameraman Hamud Mohammed Osman of the London-based satellite network were exclusively…
In Cameroon, a tabloid director faces criminal charges
New York, April 10, 2007—Prosecutors in the Cameroonian capital, Yaoundé, today lodged criminal charges against the director of a private tabloid who has been detained by police since Saturday in connection with a story about an alleged sex scandal, according to local sources and press freedom group Journaliste En Danger. Georges Gilbert Baongla of the…
Ethiopian High Court acquits eight journalists on antistate crimes
New York, April 9, 2007-Ethiopia’s High Court today acquitted and set free eight editors and publishers of Amharic-language newspapers who have been jailed on antistate charges since a massive November 2005 government crackdown, according to local journalists and media reports.
CPJ urges Zimbabwe police commissioner to investigate Edward Chikomba’s murder
Dear Commissioner Chihuri: We are writing to request that you oversee a transparent and thorough investigation into the recent murder of Edward Chikomba, a veteran cameraman formerly with the state-run Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC). We are concerned by several reports alleging the killing was linked to his work.
U.S.-based journalist charged with sedition in Gambia
New York, April 4, 2007—A court in the capital Banjul today handed down criminal charges to a U.S.-based journalist, detained since last week by state intelligence agents, and released her on bail in connection with critical commentary of President Yahya Jammeh, according to local journalists.
ZIMBABWE: British journalist fined under media accreditation law
APRIL 2, 2007 Posted: April 6, 2007 Alexander John Perry, Time HARASSED, LEGAL ACTION A court in the southern town of Gwanda sentenced Perry, the Africa bureau chief of the European edition of the U.S. newsmagazine Time, to a fine of 100 Zimbabwean dollars (US$0.41) on charges of practicing journalism without accreditation and abusing journalistic…
Central African Republic: President of private press group sentenced to prison
New York, April 2, 2007— A criminal court in the Central African Republic’s capital, Bangui, today sentenced to prison the president of a private press group, who has been jailed since March 12 in connection with statements critical of the governmental High Communication Council (HCC), according to news reports. Michel Alkhaly Ngady—who heads a group…