Kenyan tabloid editor jailed for libel
New York, March 8, 2007— A court in the capital Nairobi convicted Mburu Muchoki, editor of the private weekly The Independent, of libel on Tuesday and sentenced him to a year in prison over a 2004 story critical of Justice Minister Martha Karua, according to local journalists. Muchoki was also fined 500,000 shillings (US$7,200)—twenty-five times…
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Radio stations raided by police over critical broadcasts
March 7, 2007 POSTED March 16, 2007 Lambert Kasereka Sekera, RTNC Norbert Kambalé, RTNC Radio Télévision Graben HARASSED Kasereka and Kambalé, hosts of a morning news show on state-run broadcaster Radio Télévision Nationale Congolaise (RTNC) in the eastern town of Butembo in the North Kivu province, were arrested in their studio during a broadcast critical…
Liberian tabloid files appeal with Supreme Court after government ban over sex photo
New York, March 6, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Liberia’s Supreme Court to rescind a ban on private bi-weekly The Independent. The paper filed an appeal with the court on grounds that the government violated Liberia’s constitution when it revoked their license and closed its offices after the paper’s February 20 and February…
In Somaliland, jailed journalists sentenced to prison
New York, March 5, 2007—Four journalists of a leading independent daily in the northern breakaway republic of Somaliland were sentenced to prison on Sunday, and their paper’s publication license indefinitely revoked over stories critical of President Dahir Rayale Kahin, according to the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) and news reports. Haatuf publisher Yusuf Abdi…
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Radio journalist detained for two days over critical commentary
MARCH 27, 2007 Posted April 27, 2007 Minyanya Wasso, Radio Liberté HARASSED Five armed police officers stormed the studios of private Radio Liberté in the far eastern Sud Kivu province, arresting a journalist airing a live program and causing the station to go off the air for 30 minutes, Director Philemon Kangeta told CPJ.
SWAZILAND: Pastor threatens journalists over story
March 2, 2007 Posted March 29, 2007 Martin Dlamini, Times of Swaziland Nhlanhla Mathunjwa, Times of Swaziland THREATENED Managing editor Dlamini and reporter Mathunjwa of the leading independent daily Times of Swaziland in the central commercial town of Manzini were threatened with death by Catholic pastor Justice Dlamini over a story critical of the pastor,…
Gabonese government bans tabloid for three months
New York, March 2, 2007 —The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed that authorities in the capital, Libreville, have suspended a satirical newspaper for three months, apparently after it published commentary critical of President Omar Bongo, according to news reports and local journalists. The official National Communications Council (CNC) suspended the private bimonthly Edzombolo on…
In Togo, journalist banned from broadcast over critical commentary
New York, March 1, 2007—The Togolese government on Wednesday indefinitely banned from broadcast veteran journalist and media activist Daniel Lawson-Drackey over a commentary on private radio Nana FM that was critical of a government minister, according to local journalists. “It’s outrageous that the government is censoring a respected journalist for raising critical questions about an…
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…