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Alerts - 2012 - West Africa

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Equatorial Guinea

Jailed opposition figure transferred to isolated cell; attorney suspended

Dr. Wenceslao Mansogo Alo was transferred on 18 May without explanation to a filthy, isolated cell in Bata central prison.

Mali

Three weeks of media freedom violations

The 22 March coup has overturned Mali's status as a regional model of respect for freedom of information, says RSF.

The Gambia

Police chief says long-missing journalist is in the US

The inspector general of police reportedly said that Interpol confirmed to Gambian authorities that Ebrimah "Chief" Manneh, a journalist with the Daily Observer who has been missing since 2006, is actually in the United States.

Liberia

Reporter suspended from university for reporting on campus conflicts

In the letter of suspension, the university said Front Page Africa reporter Selma Lomax's article has the effect of inciting students against the administration.

Equatorial Guinea

Opposition figure wrongly convicted

Mansogo's prosecution was clearly opportunistic, designed to remove a vocal opponent from the political arena, and not supported by the facts of the incident in question, said Human Rights Watch.

Togo

Journalist assaulted by security forces

Noel Kokou Tadégnon was attacked by security forces while filming a crackdown on demonstrators during the country's independence day celebration.

Nigeria

Extremist Islamic sect threatens to attack more media houses

Boko Haram posted a video on YouTube in which it warned of more attacks on media organisations and named the media institutions that will be targeted in future attacks.

Nigeria

Offices of daily bombed

The radical Islamic sect Boko Haram is suspected to have carried out the bombings as the attacks bear their imprint.

Liberia

Reporter attacked, threatened by legislator and staff

Scott said the legislator threatened to beat him up when spotted in the streets of Monrovia, and to use his power to ensure he is dismissed from Love FM Radio.

Nigeria

Gunmen kill cameraman

IPI calls for thorough investigation.

Guinea-Bissau

Military junta enforces media blackout

On the day of the coup, the coup makers forced all the media houses to close down.

Equatorial Guinea

Press silent on unrest in Mali, Syria

Government censorship extends to coverage of any political unrest abroad.

Liberia

Journalist Mae Azango moves a nation

Azango told CPJ today that she is moving more freely but that she was still assessing the situation as her safety is still not guaranteed.

Nigeria

Magistrate orders assault and arrest of journalists

The reporters were at the Ikeja court to cover a story about deaths resulting from a series of ghastly accidents in Lagos, in 2010.

Sierra Leone

Rights groups urge passage of Freedom of Information Bill

The legislation would allow the public to obtain access to information held by public bodies including information that was previously inaccessible, or that was considered sensitive such as government contracts with multinational companies.

Cameroon

Officials stifling freedom of association, says Freedom House

A workshop held by SID'ADO, a registered civic organisation, focusing on human rights and sexual orientation was interrupted by demonstrators who declared that homosexuality is illegal in Cameroon and that the meeting would not take place.

Mali

Journalists attacked in coup aftermath

"They threatened to kill me several times. They put their guns to my forehead and said they will blow my brains out," Ouahmane told CPJ.

Liberia

President's son threatens libel suit against newspaper

An article in the paper suggested Robert Sirleaf had reportedly seized five of Liberia's offshore oil blocks for commercial purposes.

Liberia

Two journalists arrested on mayor's orders

Mary Broh is quoted as saying that because the journalists used their connections with the police chief to ensure that her assigned officers were reprimanded, "That boy who calls himself a journalist will walk the streets of Monrovia crazy. . ."

Côte d'Ivoire

Why is police intelligence holding opposition media executive?

The DST denied holding Savané, but his car is parked in the DST building's courtyard and several sources say he was taken there after his arrest.

Sierra Leone

District chairman forces radio off air, confiscates broadcast equipment

Radio Wanjei has been off air since 19 March 2012, when Sadiq Sallah stormed the station and seized their broadcasting equipment for allegedly breaching a contract with the Council.

Ghana

Government reverses decision to boycott media group

A bitter stand-off between the government and the Accra-based independent media group Multimedia Group Limited has been resolved after a meeting between the two sides.

Mali

Soldiers shut down news media following coup

The headquarters of the state radio and TV broadcaster ORTM were occupied by renegade soldiers and broadcasts by many other radio and TV stations were interrupted as a result of the military coup against President Amadou Toumani Touré.

Mali

With coup, quiet #Mali generates noise on Twitter

(CPJ/IFEX) - March 22, 2012 - The following is a CPJ blog spot:

Gabon

Journalists summoned over critical articles

Two of the journalists have fled the country fearing arrest after being summoned by police for interrogation.

Nigeria

Reporter threatened over coverage of Islamist sect

Ahmad Salkida, who has extensively covered the conflict between the government and the Islamist sect Boko Haram, says he has been followed and his life is under threat.

Ghana

Political activist detained over allegations against first lady

(MFWA/IFEX) - March 19, 2012 - A ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) activist, Ernest Owusu Bempah, a fiery critic of President Atta Mills' administration, was on March 14, 2102 detained on charges of “publishing false information with the intent to cause fear and alarm” in Accra. On March 16, two days after his arrest, he was granted police inquiry bail.

Sierra Leone

TV cameraman assaulted by opposition party supporters

MFWA) correspondent reported that without provocation the SLPP supporters attacked Cole while he was filming persons being interviewed by his colleague Kargbo at the opposition party's headquarters.

West Africa

Nigeria's attorney-general advocates adoption of regional free expression legal framework

The document is considered to be a progressive one that will contribute to the expansion and consolidation of the democratic tenets of freedom of expression and citizens’ right to have access to information in the region.

Nigeria

Islamic sect threatens three newspapers

Boko Haram, which has claimed responsibility for numerous bombings in several cities in northern Nigeria in recent months, has threatened to take action against three

Liberia

Reporting on genital mutilation draws threats

Mae Azango, a reporter for the daily "FrontPage Africa" and the news website New Narratives, told CPJ she had gone into hiding after receiving several threats for an article she published about tribes practicing female genital mutilation on as many as two out of every three girls in the country.

Togo

Police assault photojournalist

In a telephone interview with CPJ, Minister of Security Colonel Dokissime Gnama Latta downplayed the assault as a "Little scratch."

Nigeria

Broadcast regulator bans TV station from live-streaming programmes on website

(MRA/IFEX) - March 6, 2012 - The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Nigeria's broadcast sector regulator, has banned the state government owned television station Ogun State Television (OGTV) from its "unilateral commencement of the streaming of OGTV's signal on the web without the approval of the Commission."

Guinea

Journalist violently assaulted by gendarmes

MFWA is concerned that despite the progress in respect for media rights following the return to civilian rule after decades of dictatorship, journalists are attacked with impunity by state security agents.

Senegal

Journalists threatened, assaulted amid election

CPJ has documented at least 12 incidents of threats and physical harm against journalists reporting on the presidential election campaign, Sunday's vote and its aftermath.

Liberia

Three newspaper publishers ordered to appear in court

"Frontpage Africa", "Daily Graphics" and "The News" have been ordered to court to explain why they should not be held in contempt in connection with a malpractice story.

Liberia

Former senator files US$5 million libel suit against newspaper

The former senator takes exception to a recent "Independent" story headlined, "Nathaniel Williams Evicted for Owing 4 Months' Rent."

Equatorial Guinea

Opposition figure held without charge

Human Rights Watch expressed concern that Dr. Wenceslao Mansogo Alo's continued detention could be motivated by his profile as a human rights activist and opposition politician, rather than any credible evidence that he committed a crime.

Liberia

Police officer brutalises "New Dawn" reporter

The reporter sustained bruises to his body as the police officer dragged him from his car and wrestled his camera from him.

Togo

"Tribune d'Afrique" journalist interrogated for six hours, fears for his safety

"Tribune d'Afrique" decided to suspend publication in Togo for one week in protest against police harassment of its staff.

Nigeria

Airport officials lock out journalists, hold equipment

Officials of the State Security Service and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs protocol department have denied over 60 journalists reporting from the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos access to their cameras, voice recorders and other tools of their trade.

Mauritania

ANHRI condemns detention of activist

Wan Biran, coordinator of the Do Not Touch My Nationality movement, was detained while visiting his brother in the National Hospital.

Nigeria

French journalists detained, thrown out of restive state

TFI journalist Jeremie Drieu and his local colleague Ahmad Salkida were in Jos to report on the recent unrest there when they were detained by soldiers who took them to a command center where they faced “increasingly hostile interrogation”, AP reported.

Cameroon

Coup charges against writer dropped, still faces military tribunal

There have been worrying allegations that the evidence against Enoh Meyomesse is fabricated.

Côte d'Ivoire

Two detained journalists released

Charles Sanga and Jean-Claude Coulibaly were detained after they refused to disclose the source of a leaked story that ran in "Le Patriote" earlier in the week.

Côte d'Ivoire

Newspaper editor arrested for publishing "confidential information"

Charles Sanga was arrested due to an article published in "Le Patriote", which stated that the Constitutional Council had decided to annul parliamentary elections in 11 districts where results had been disputed; information that had not yet been announced publicly.

Senegal

Rights activist detained over opposition protests

Alioune Tine, a human rights defender and political activist who was arrested and detained for organizing a demonstration against the third-term bid of President Abdoulaye Wade, was released without charge on January 30, 2012 after a 72-hour detention.

Cameroon

Writer detained, faces up to 50 years in prison

There are allegations that the charges of "attempting a coup," "possessing a firearm," and "aggravated theft" faced by Enoh Meyomesse are based on fabricated evidence.

Senegal

Two journalists given suspended prison terms

"Le Quotidien" editor Mamadou Biaye and reporter Mamadou Ticko Diatta were given handed three-month prison terms over a story alleging that the deputy mayor of the district had links to an armed separatist group.

Nigeria

TV reporter killed while covering Kano suicide bombings

Enenche Godwin Akogwu was gunned down shortly after the bombings while he tried to interview victims outside Farm central police station.

Senegal

Jailed opposition activist receives presidential pardon

Malick Noel Seck was jailed for two years on October 20, 2011 over a protest letter he wrote to the Constitutional Court, asking it to reject the third-term candidacy of President Abdoulaye Wade for the 2012 presidential election.

The Gambia

Former minister gets life imprisonment for demanding an end to the dictatorship

Amadou Scattered Janneh was convicted of treason and sentenced him to life imprisonment with hard labour while three others, Modou Keita, Ebrima Jallow, and Michael C. Ucheh Thomas, were handed three-year sentences by the court.

Nigeria

Call for release of labour activists

The authorities are urged to investigate state involvement in breaking up a peaceful union meeting and arresting two union activists in October in an apparent bid to silence them.

Nigeria

#OccupyNigeria protesters take on news media coverage

Protesters descended on the studios of at least two prominent broadcasters to demand more balanced coverage of the citizens' movement.

Liberia

"National Chronicle" editor briefly detained, faces criminal complaint

Edward Mortee faces a criminal coercion charge in connection with a story alleging that the National Police chief was involved in an arrest.

Ghana

National security officials violently assault photojournalists

Armed operatives of the national intelligence agency violently assaulted Gifty Lawson as she attempted to cover the bail hearing of a senior police officer who was a prime suspect in a missing cocaine scandal that hit the country.

Equatorial Guinea

Concern about rights violations on eve of Africa Cup

The government cracks down on political opponents, intimidates journalists, and disregards due process, Human Rights Watch and the Committee to Protect Journalists said.

Côte d'Ivoire

Human remains found not to be those of missing journalist

DNA tests have established that the remains of a body found in Côte d’Ivoire were not those of Franco-Canadian journalist Guy-André Kieffer after all.

The Gambia

Newspaper journalist charged with criminal defamation

Mamadou Jallow was charged after he alleged a local chief gave a government-sponsored ticket to the Hajj to his lover.

Côte d'Ivoire

Human remains found could be those of missing journalist Guy-André Kieffer

The body was found after a tip-off in a village in the western region of Issia.

Gabon

Two media outlets suspended for opposition coverage

The state-run National Communication Council announced on national public television the suspension of Obame-owned broadcaster TV+ for three months and the private weekly "Echos Du Nord" for two months.

Côte d'Ivoire

TV presenter provisionally released after being held for five months

Hermann Aboa continues to face prosecution on charges of threatening the nation’s defences, attacking and conspiring against state authorities, undermining national territorial integrity, participating in an armed band, participating in an insurrectional movement and attacking public order.