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Alert

Freelance journalist freed

(MFWA/IFEX) - Albassirou Diallo, popularly known as El Bechir Diallo, a Guinean journalist who was abducted and held incommunicado at a military camp in Conakry, was released without charge on August 13, 2011.

"I am happy to inform all colleagues that I have finally been released by the Commission of Enquiry into the alleged assassination attempt on the life of President Alpha Condé. I am supposed to report to the law enforcement agencies during the trial when necessary," El Bachir Diallo told Media Foundation for West Africa's (MFWA) correspondent via SMS message.

The journalist had earlier told AFP that his arrest on the morning of August 11 at a cyber café was in connection with his cousin, Commander Alpha Oumar, who is among forty civilians and soldiers arrested and being held over their alleged role in the assassination attempt on President Condé on July 19.

"The commander had no right to keep me for more than 48 hours. He told me that Monday being a public holiday, he was taking the responsibility to temporarily free me with the understanding that I return early morning on Tuesday to re-appear before the Commission," said Diallo.

Since the alleged assassination attempt on President Condé, authorities have attempted to gag the media and hinder public discussion of the matter, with little success.