Pipul Pikin PRESS RELEASE : Freetown, 10 November, 2014 INDEPENDENT HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP HAS STRONGLY CONDEMNED PRESIDENT KOROMA FOR MISDIRECTING A COMMITTEE IN PUBLISHING DAVID TAM BARYOHS FORCED CONFESSION. RightsWay strongly condemns President Koroma for allegedly misdirecting a Committee in publishing David Tam Baryoh’s forced confession. Freetown, 10 November, 2014, an independent human rights group, Rightsway International has strongly condemned President Koroma for allegedly dedicating to a Committee for the Release of David Tam-Baryoh in publishing the journalist’s forced confession. The publication of a statement issued on Monday 10th November 2014, signed by the detained journalist David Tam Baryoh, his helpful lawyers and members of a voluntary Committee was wrong and unethical. Elvis Kamara, Director for RightsWay, said: We are pleased by the Committee’s effort to secure the immediate release of Tam Baryoh but we are very shocked and disappointed by the way his confession was obtained and published. It should be noted that President Ernest Koroma was wrong to order the alleged unlawful detention of Tam-Baryoh. The President has flouts the country’s justice system by allegedly forcing the journalist to make false ‘confession’ publicly. The sole aim of this forced confessions is to destroy the credibility of the journalist. This is a violation of the journalist’s human rights in order to canvass public opinion for political gains. The unethical act of publishing Tam-Baryoh’s forced confession can only be seen as an attempt by the authorities in Sierra Leone to incriminate the journalist, and negates international media reports and the widely held strong public opinion that Tam Baryoh is being unlawfully detained over criticisms of government handling of Ebola crisis. RightsWay notes that David Tam Baryoh, a high-profile radio journalist whose reports have often exposed alleged corrupt government officials, was arrested on November 3, 2014, and still being detained at the maximum-security Pademba Road prison in the capital Freetown. His popular weekly programme, Monologue, was taken off air mid-show as he interviewed an opposition party spokesman who criticised the president’s alleged intentions to run for a third term. Since his arrest, Tam-Bayoh has been denied access to his wife and family, his lawyers were allegedly constrained to see him. His health is deteriorating, as a result of government’s alleged delay in allowing access by his doctor for a medical examination. The doctor later confirmed David Tam Baryoh was in a state of ‘hypertensive emergency’. The alleged deceitful action by President Koroma to dedicate to the Committee to obtain and publish forced confessions by Tam-Baryoh, in a bid to refute allegations that he was unlawful detained for questioning government Ebola was totally unacceptable and wrong on the side of the President. To force the detained journalist to falsely confess that he was not tortured by authorities was a disgraceful act. Regrettably, the Committee did not state reasons for Tam-Baryoh’s detention hence casting further doubt on the credibility and veracity of the government’s vague legal explanations for his arrest. It could be that the committee was placed in a difficult position to incriminate and force Tam Baryoh to plead guilty for a crime, of which he has not been charged. This is a deliberate ploy by President Koroma to relieve himself of liability and blames for the alleged unlawful detention of the journalist. It is only a competent court of law or a ‘freed’ Tam-Baryoh could establish the true reasons for his dentition. Rightsway is disappointed that Tam Baryoh’s forced confession has been published widely by pro-government media outlets and social networks. The publication of forced confessions is often used to discredit dissident news and information providers. This is a media propaganda tool used by dictatorial regimes, to avoid being exposed, investigated and punished for the grave violations of human rights. The way that the forced confession was published was similar to the journalists Jonathan Leigh and Bai Bai Sesay’s case, as always exploited by government to shift the blame to the victim. This is a disingenuous political trick, seeking to save the shattered image of the government for human rights violations and distracts efforts to investigate allegations of the unlawful detention and torture of David Tam-Baryoh for questioning government Ebola response. Rightsway reiterates its disappointment in the poorly written Government’s press release issued on November 7, 2014, regarding the arrest and detention of Tam Baryoh, stating that: ‘’ the Government takes exception to any one preaching tribalism, hatred and promoting divisions in the Nation’’. Rightsway strongly dismisses the government’s press release as absolutely unfounded, unfortunate, mischievous, totally false, and falls short of inferring, if any, the specific elements of the crime or offences as stipulated under statute or emergency regulations/measures for the arrest and detention. RightsWay maintains that there were no accessible emergency media regulations, otherwise rules preventing journalists from questioning government Ebola response or making political statements, to warrant such an arrest. There can be no reasoning – no justification – for the use of emergency powers to undermine press freedom. RightsWay did not receive any information to suggest that the public was incited by the contents of the Tam Baryoh’s radio broadcast. There was no evidence to suggest that Tam Baryoh was inciting tribalism, hatred or promoting divisions during his radio program. The journalist was merely doing his job. Rightsway reiterates its appeal to the international community – including the United Nations, Africa Union, ECOWAS, Commonwealth, European Union and other human rights organisations to investigate allegations of unlawful detention and torture of David Tam-Baryoh. The arrest and detention is a serious distraction and diversion from efforts to eradicate Ebola. RightsWay maintains that it is essential for groups to vigorously condemn attacks against journalists and to act with due diligence and swiftness to establish an effective regulatory framework on media law and ethics, ensuring that the rights of others are not violated. RightsWay calls on the responsible media and people of Sierra Leone NOT to publish statement by the Committee, incriminating Tam-Baryoh for his forced confession. This is intolerable on the part of the media, even those controlled by the state. The Committee had violated Tam Baryoh’s right to justice and fundamental human rights as stipulated by international law through the use of forced confessions under duress as a way for securing his release. RightsWay continues to urge the government to allow journalists, activists and artists to pursue their work and speak up without fear for their safety. Meanwhile, the people of Sierra Leone desperately need international support, as we continue working to tackle the ever-increasing challenge to eradicate Ebola. END NOTE: RightsWay International is a campaigning organisation with a group of high profile lawyers, journalists, activists and artists working in Sierra Leone and across the world. We protect civil liberties, promote human rights and justice for everyone, in the RightsWay. All media inquiries to: Email: rightsway.sl @gmail or phone: +23278265657 (SL) © Pipul Pikin
Posted on: Tue, 11 Nov 2014 03:04:07 +0000
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