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Alert

Journalist injured by bodyguards, prevented from interviewing president

(CEMESP/IFEX) - On 8 June 2006, officers of the Special Security Service (SSS) and a United States Secret Service Agent assigned to protect Liberia's President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf manhandled some journalists, leaving one with a neck injury and the loss of his mobile phone.

The incident occurred at Liberia's International Airport following the arrival of President Sirleaf from a visit to Switzerland, when a staff member of President Sirleaf's Public Affairs office, Mr. Pacify Raffel, informed the journalists that the President would only talk to three of the eight media institutions represented at the airport.

Mr. Raffel named SKY FM Radio, government-run Liberia Broadcasting System and the pro-government "Daily Observer" newspaper as the media institutions the president wanted to talk to.

This prompted the rest of the journalists to insist on their right to interview the president.

In the midst of their insistence, one of President Sirleaf's US Secret Service bodyguards arrived at the scene and violently pushed the journalists away.

During the scuffle, according to journalist Jallah Griffield, he sustained a neck injury and lost his mobile phone.