Sierra Leone

(CPJ/IFEX)- On 11 October 1997, John Foray, acting editor of the newspaper “Democrat”, and freelancer Abdul Kposwa were beaten and arrested by army officers who then took them to Pademba Road prison where they were detained without charge. Elsewhere, Umaru Fofana, a freelancer for the “Vision” newspaper and a stringer for the British Broadcasting Corporation […]

The 6 September 1996 launch in Freetown of the twice-weekly independent newspaper “Torchlight” was delayed when, in a statement issued that same morning, Minister of Information George Banda Thomas banned the circulation of the newspaper, apparently because, according to CPJ sources, the newspaper had published “very uncomplimentary articles” about President Tejan Kabba. Later that same […]

On 28 August 1996, “Expo Times” publisher and editor-in-chief Ibrahim Seaga Shaw was released without charge. **New case, plus update to IFEX alert dated 28 August 1996** The following day, Minister of Information George Banda-Thomas and Attorney General Solomon Berewa called all editors to a meeting at Banda-Thomas’s office where they were warned against publishing […]

On 28 August 1996, “Expo Times” publisher and editor-in-chief Ibrahim Seaga Shaw and news editor Gibril Kroma were arrested and transported to Central Investigation Department (CID) headquarters at Slater Terrace. The arrest followed a two-hour search by ten CID agents who had entered the editorial offices of “Expo Times” with a search warrant granting permission […]

**Updates IFEX alerts dated 23 and 19 July 1996** On 24 July 1996, Edison Yongai, editor of “The Point” newspaper, was granted bail of 10 million leons (US$ 11,000). He was released from Pademba Road Prison the evening of 23 July. His trial for sedition is set for 9 August. Appeals To

**Updates IFEX alert of 19 July 1996** On 23 July 1996, Edison Yonghai, editor of “The Point” newspaper, was charged with sedition and libel, denied bail, and sent to Pademba Road Prison, the notorious central prison in Freetown. The trial is pending. It is possible he might appear again in court on 24 July to […]

On 19 July 1996, Edison Yongai, editor of “The Point” newspaper, was arrested by five plainclothes Criminal Investigations Department (CID) agents at the editorial office of “The Point”. The CID agents searched Yongai’s office for unidentified documents before transporting him to CID headquarters in the Slater Terraces area of central Freetown. No documents were confiscated. […]

On 22 August 1995, Paul Kamara, Editor-in-Chief of “For di People” was arrested in Sierra Leone. The following morning, Editor Vandy Kallon was arrested. The two editors were reproached for the publication of an article on the movements of Sierra- Leone’s army in the north of the country. Recommended Action Send appeals to authorities in […]

**Updates IFEX alerts dated 26 July, 19 and 12 January 1995; 13 December 1994** Judgement in the case against journalists from the newspaper “The New Breed”, which has been before the Sierra Leonian courts for over 21 months, is due 7 August 1995. If convicted, the defendants, including journalist Julius Spencer, may be imprisoned for […]

**Update to IFEX CH alerts dated 13 December 1994 and 12 January 1995** Mohamed Bangura, one of the four journalists from “The New Breed” charged with sedition, was released on health grounds on 16 January 1995. The prosecutor entered a “nolle prosequi” — in other words the case against him will not proceed although it […]

**Update to IFEX CH alert dated 13 December 1994** The following four journalists and printer from the weekly “The New Breed” have been in detention at the Pademba Road prison in Freetown since 12 December 1994: Julius Spencer, publisher; Donald John, editor-in-chief; Alfred Conteh, business manager; Mohamed Bangura, journalist; Abdul Bashiru Alusine Kargbo, director of […]

Siaka Massaquoi, editor-in-chief of the weekly “The Vision”, and Ojukwu Sesay, a correspondent for a Gambian newspaper, were both arrested on 10 January 1995 by military security police. The two journalists were taken to military security offices where they were interrogated. The journalists were asked about their sources for articles criticizing the government with respect […]