West African Journalists Association 17 November 2014 Press Release WAJA Condemns the Detention of Sierra Leonean Journalist The West African Journalists Association (WAJA) has today condemned the intimidating arrest and detention of Sierra Leonean Journalist, David Tam-Baryoh by authorities in Freetown. Baryoh was released without charge, 11 days after he was ordered arrested by President Ernest Bai Koroma for reportedly making annoying comments under a so-called the state of emergency to fight eloba. According to the President of the Sierra Leone Journalists Association (SLAJ), Kelvin Lewis, Tam Baryoh, a popular talk show host, was picked up on November 3, 2014 in his office on an Executive Detention Order signed by the President Koroma alleging incitement. Kelvin said SLAJ had “called for his release on medical grounds because he is a high blood pressure patient having been advised by the medical doctor who examined him at the Criminal Investigations Department to have him hospitalized. The government instead moved him to the maximum security Pademba Road prisons and most inhumanely refused to give him his medicine which is in the possession of his wife.” WAJA said such cowardly attack on the media only exposes the intolerance of a government that wants its citizens to tolerate its weakness to protect them against the deadly ebola virus. WAJA President, Peter Quaqua observes: “We have seen the reckless use of the state of emergency by the governments of Liberia and Sierra Leone under the guise of fighting ebola. This is counter productive to the collective will and expertise being mounted against the disease. Our political leaders must take leadership and stop using the media as scapegoat for their failures if we are to succeed in washing the virus out of the sub-region.” On August 14 this year, while ebola was killing people left, right and center, the Liberian Government was mobilizing armed police troops to seize the National Chronicle Newspaper under the pretext of a state of emergency. The Paper remains closed to date, even though the Press Union of Liberia has petitioned the Supreme Court for prohibition. While acknowledging the efforts of friendly individuals and governments around the world in helping to fight the disease, WAJA encourages the media in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone [as well as Mali], to hold together and remain supportive of the cause of the public until the virus is completely removed from the region. The WHO says ebola has as so far taken the lives of more than 5,170 people in the region and has also nearly paralyzed the economies of the affected countries. WAJA represents the sixteen journalist associations/unions in West Africa. For further inquiry, contact: [email protected]/ (223)46146868/(231) 886529611
Posted on: Wed, 19 Nov 2014 09:04:48 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015