Attacks on the Press - Committee to Protect Journalists

attacks on the press in 2009africa: snapshots»»»»longest-serving African head of state, died the next month at the age of 73.Military intelligence officers detained Albert Yangari, editor of the state dailyL’Union for several hours on September 25. Officers questioned him aboutL’Union stories that contradicted the government’s account of deadly postelectionriots in the city of Port-Gentil, according to news reports and localjournalists. L’Union reported a higher number of fatalities than the government,and its stories raised questions as to whether troops used live ammunitionin quelling the unrest. L’Union reporter Jonas Moulenda briefly wentinto hiding after reporting death threats, according to the same sources.In November, the National Communication Council suspended six newspapersfor “violating the ethics of journalism” and “inciting ethnic divisions”in their coverage of the presidential election that brought Ali Bongo to officeto succeed his late father. The council suspended Nku’u Le Messager and LeCrocodile for one month; Le Scriboullard, L’Ombre, and La Nation for twomonths; and Echos du Nord for three months.GUINEA»»Security forces assaulted at least a dozen journalists trying to cover a September28 opposition rally against junta leader Capt. Moussa Dadis Camara at a stadiumin the capital, Conakry, local journalists told CPJ. Several reported theirequipment had been seized or damaged. Security forces ultimately stormed thearena, killing dozens of people, according to local news reports. Six journalistsfor French broadcasters France 2 and France 24, who traveled to Guinea in Octoberto cover the aftermath, were turned back because they lacked “a formal invitation,”according to Agence France-Presse. The United Nations dispatched acommission in late year to investigate the actions of the security forces.IVORY COAST»»On May 7, an appeals court in Abidjan granted bail to French freelance photojournalistJean Paul Ney, who had been imprisoned on antistate chargessince December 2007, according to defense lawyer Minta Traoré. In aMarch interview from prison with the French weekly L’Express, Ney said hewas arrested while making a documentary about exiled coup leader IbrahimCoulibaly. Once free on bail, Ney left the country.»»A magistrate in Abidjan suspended the weekly newspaper Notre Défi for twomonths beginning in October after finding Editor Baté Mabo guilty of publishing“false news” in a story accusing the state prosecutor’s office of corruption,according to local journalists and news reports. Mabo, known by his penname Jean Bedel, was also fined 5 million CFA francs (US$11,500).»»On October 21, dozens of members of the National Union of UniversityStudents of Ivory Coast stormed the offices of the private media group LeRéveil, according to local journalists. The assailants objected to a story inone of Le Réveil’s publications that was critical of a former union leader. Theassailants—some armed with clubs—threatened newsroom staff, damagedequipment, and roughed up employees, local journalists said.KENYA»»Francis Nyaruri, a reporter for the private Weekly Citizen, was murdered inJanuary in western Nyanza province. Nyaruri’s mutilated body was found inKodera Forest two weeks after he went missing, according to local journalists.Two suspects were arrested in May but later released, the Weekly Citizenreported. The paper said Nyaruri had written a number of stories accusinghigh-ranking police officers of corruption. He had received several threatsin response, local journalists told CPJ. The case’s lead investigator, Chief InspectorRobert Natwoli, and Nyaruri’s family lawyer, Andrew Mandi, bothwent into hiding in June after receiving threats, local journalists told CPJ.»»Nanankoua Gnamantêh, op-ed editor of the pro-opposition private weeklyLe Repère, was arrested in March after being questioned about an article criticalof President Laurent Gbagbo, according to local journalists. The jailingappeared to violate the 2004 press law, which decriminalized press offensesand banned pretrial detention of journalists. After two weeks in pretrial detention,Gnamantêh and Managing Editor Eddy Péhé were convicted of “offendingthe head of state” and fined 20 million CFA francs (US$45,000)each. Le Repère was also suspended for eight editions.MALAWI»»In May, police shuttered the opposition-run Joy Radio and arrested tworeporters and a technician on charges of violating election law by airingcampaign messages within 48 hours of voting, according to local journalists.Presenters Mary Chande and Obrien Nazombe were held for fourdays by police while technician Adbulrazaaq Telela was released after afew hours, local journalists said. The station remained off the air for three5 45 5