sierra leone: Radio journalist arrested by police, threatened with expulsion

IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
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PRESS RELEASE/ALERT - SENEGAL

14 October 2003

Radio journalist arrested by police, threatened with expulsion

SOURCE: International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) / West African
Journalists Association (WAJA), Dakar

(IFJ/WAJA/IFEX) - The following is an 11 October 2003 joint IFJ-WAJA press
release:

Sophie Malibeaux case: an escalation in attacks on press freedom in Senegal

A recent action by the Senegalese authorities has raised fears concerning
the press's future and the right to information in a country which until now
has been known to respect democracy and freedom.

Police officers arrested Sophie Malibeaux, Radio France Internationale's
(RFI) permanent special correspondent, in Ziguinchor, southern Senegal, on 7
October 2003. Malibeaux was covering a meeting of the Movement of Democratic
Forces of Casamance (Mouvement des Forces Démocratiques de Casamance, MFDC),
an armed independence group, when she was arrested and forced onto a special
flight to Dakar.

The journalist was held for several hours in the Interior Ministry's
offices. Later that day, she was notified that she was to be expelled from
the country. The official explanation for the expulsion order was the
"necessity [to preserve] public order". Malibeaux was not given the
opportuniity to make a statement in her defence.

The journalist was given very little time to collect a few personal effects
at her home and police then escorted her to the airport. A second order
cancelling or suspending the earlier expulsion order arrived just as she was
about to board a Paris-bound flight.

The authorities' brutal treatment of Malibeaux came as a shock to many
observers, who are unaccustomed to such behaviour by the authorities in
Senegal.

The organisations that have signed this statement denounce the authorities'
humiliating and degrading treatment of Sophie Malibeaux. Such behaviour
targeting the accredited foreign press is unprecedented in Senegal. The
organisations believe the police action was unjustified, as the RFI
correspondent respected the code of ethics in her coverage of the MFDC
meeting, and ask that the case be closed.

These events follow numerous recent examples of harassment against
Senegalese journalists and the state prosecutor's statement listing recent
violations of press laws, which was interpreted as a thinly-veiled warning
to journalists.

The Foreign Press Association of Senegal, SYNPICS, the West African
Journalists Association and the International Federation of Journalists'
Africa Bureau call on the authorities to put an end to the repeated attacks
on journalists and press freedom in order to favour good relations with the
press and to preserve Senegal's good standing within the international
community.

Dakar, 11 October 2003

Foreign Press Association of Senegal (APES)
Senegalese Union of Information and Communications Professionals (SYNPICS)
West African Journalists Association (WAJA)
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Africa Bureau

For further information, contact UJAO/WAJA 17, Boulevard de la République,
BP 21 722, Dakar Ponty, Senegal, tel: +221 842 01 41/42, +221 842 01 43,
fax: +221 842 02 69, e-mail: [email protected], Internet:
http://www.ujaowaja.org

The information contained in this press release/alert is the sole
responsibility of IFJ and WAJA. In citing this material for broadcast or
publication, please credit IFJ and WAJA.
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