Attacks on the Press - Committee to Protect Journalists

attacks on the press in 2009prison and fines of 10 million CFA francs each (US $21,657) on libel chargesstemming from a story critical of a member of parliament, according to theMedia Foundation of West Africa. The journalists appealed.»»»»In September, a tribunal judge in Kaolack jailed reporters Papa Samba Sèneof the private daily L’As and Abdou Dia of Radio Futurs Médias on chargesof defamation and publishing false news based on a complaint by the localgovernor, according to local news reports. The governor objected to storiesalleging malfeasance in an agricultural program. Sène and Dia were releasedon bail after 12 days in prison; the case was pending in late year.Followers of Serigne Modou Kara Mbacké, a leader of Senegal’s influentialMourides Muslim Brotherhood, ransacked the offices of the independentdaily Walfadjri on September 25, according to news reports. The assailants,some armed with iron bars, were apparently angered by a story critical ofMbacké. At least three staffers were reported injured. Government spokesmanMoustapha Maba Guirassi condemned the attack, and Mbacké laterpublicly apologized. No arrests were reported.SIERRA LEONE»»Four female radio journalists were abducted in the eastern town of Keneima inFebruary by a women’s group that supports female circumcision, according tolocal news reports. The group accused the reporters of broadcasting messagesto end the practice of female circumcision. The journalists were stripped nakedand forced to walk through the streets of Keneima, the Sierra Leone Associationof Journalists told CPJ. No action was taken against the abductors.TANZANIA»»A court in Dar es Salaam ordered the independent weekly MwanaHalisi topay damages of 3 billion Tanzanian shillings (US$2.25 million) in April in acivil defamation lawsuit filed by a member of parliament, according to newsreports. Rostam Aziz objected to a MwanaHalisi report linking him to a U.S.company accused of corrupt dealings with the government, according to localjournalists. Justice Robert Makramba also ordered MwanaHalisi to issue afront-page public apology, halt reporting on the plaintiff, and cover all courtcosts, according to court documents. The weekly appealed.americas5 8