Liberia: Criminal charges brought against journalists working for private weekly

IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
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ACTION ALERT - LIBERIA

5 February 2004

Criminal charges brought against journalists working for private weekly
newspaper

SOURCE: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), New York

(CPJ/IFEX) - In a 4 February 2004 letter to Liberian President Gyude Bryant,
CPJ expressed its concern over the recent criminal charges brought against
journalists working for the private weekly newspaper "Telegraph". On 16
January, editor-in-chief Philip Moore Jr., managing editor Adolphus Karnuah
and sub-editor Robert Kpadeh Jr. were arrested and brought to the Magistrate
Court in the capital, Monrovia, where they were charged with "criminal
malevolence".

Additionally, Rennie Moses, a former business manager for the "Telegraph",
and Rudolph Gborkeh, the newspaper's chief reporter, were charged in
absentia. Moore, Karnuah, and Kpadeh were released the same day, and later
paid the equivalent of about US$5 each in bail.

The charges stem from a story published in the "Telegraph" on 30 December
2003, which alleged that National Security Minister Losay Kendor embezzled
US$15,000. According to journalists at the newspaper, the article relied on
sources from within the National Security Ministry. Kendor joined Liberia's
newly inaugurated transitional government after an August 2003,
power-sharing deal aimed at ending more than a decade of civil war. He has
not yet been confirmed by Liberia's legislature, the journalists said.

The case against the journalists is currently pending in Monrovia's
Magistrate Court. Jerome Verdier, the journalists' defense lawyer, told CPJ
that the charge of "criminal malevolence", which falls under Liberia's
criminal code, carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison.

CPJ believes journalists should never face criminal charges for what they
write. There is a growing international consensus that, in the most extreme
cases, civil sanctions provide adequate redress for those who feel defamed.
As it stands, the prosecution of these journalists appears designed to
silence critical reporting on matters of legitimate public concern.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Send appeals to the president:
- stating that the criminal charges brought against journalists in reprisal
for their work set a dangerous precedent during this fragile transition
period in Liberia and undermine his inauguration promise to encourage press
freedom
- calling on him to ensure that all charges against Moore, Karnuah, Kpadeh,
Moses and Gborkeh are dropped immediately and unconditionally
- urging him to allow all journalists to practice their profession freely,
as a free press is essential to building democracy

APPEALS TO:

His Excellency Gyude Bryant
President of the Republic of Liberia
C/o The Embassy of Liberia
5201 16th Street, NW Washington, DC 20011
Fax: +1 202 723 0436

Please copy appeals to the source if possible.

For further information, contact Africa Program Coordinator Julia Crawford
or Research Associate Adam Posluns at CPJ, 330 Seventh Ave., New York, NY
10001, U.S.A., tel: +1 212 465 1004, fax: +1 212 465 9568, e-mail:
[email protected], Internet: http://www.cpj.org/

The information contained in this action alert is the sole responsibility of
CPJ. In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit
CPJ.
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