SIERRA LEONE: Journalist set free after four months in prison
Paul Kamara, founder and editor of the privately-owned daily For Di People, was released on 11 March after serving four months of a six-month sentence for libelling a judge. The authorities granted him two months' remission of sentence.
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Press freedom
12 March 2003
SIERRA LEONE
Journalist set free after four months in prison
Paul Kamara, founder and editor of the privately-owned daily For Di People,
was released on 11 March after serving four months of a six-month sentence
for libelling a judge. The authorities granted him two months' remission of
sentence.
Kamara announced at a press conference on leaving Freetown's Pademba Road
prison that he would go back to work as soon as possible. He challenged the
legality of his arrest and called for the repeal of the laws under which he
was convicted, which limit press freedom. He was the only journalist in
prison in Sierra Leone.
The Freetown high court originally sentenced Kamara on 12 November 2002 to
nine months in prison and a fine of 4.5 million leones (2,100 euros), and
banned the newspaper from appearing for six months. Three days later, this
sentence was reduced to six months in prison and a fine of 4,500 leones
(about 2 euros).
The conviction was a result of the complaint brought on 5 April 2002 by
appeal court judge Methland Tholla Thomson over several articles calling him
a thief, a criminal and a constitutional swindler, and the publication of
his photo with the caption: "This man is dangerous."
Kamara is one of Sierra Leone's best known journalists. He has received
several international awards for his work and he is a human rights activist.
He has been jailed several times in recent years.
Liberté de la presse
12 mars 2003
SIERRA LEONE
Un journaliste libéré après quatre mois de détention
Paul Kamara, fondateur et directeur de publication du quotidien privé For di
People, a été libéré le 11 mars 2003 après avoir passé quatre mois en
prison. Les autorités lui ont accordé une remise de peine de deux mois.
A sa sortie de la prison de Pademba Road (Freetown), le journaliste a donné
une conférence de presse pour annoncer qu'il allait reprendre son travail au
plus vite. Il a également contesté la légalité de son arrestation et demandé
l'abrogation des textes de loi liberticides qui ont entraîné sa
condamnation. Il était le seul journaliste emprisonné dans le pays.
Paul Kamara avait été condamné le 12 novembre 2002, par la Haute Cour de
Freetown, à neuf mois de prison et à une amende de 4,5 millions de leones
(environ 2 100 euros) pour "diffamation" et "calomnie". Son quotidien For di
People avait également été suspendu pour six mois. Trois jours plus tard, sa
peine avait été ramenée à six mois de prison et à une amende de 4 500 leones
(environ 2 euros).
Le 5 avril, suite à la parution de plusieurs articles dans For Di People
traitant le juge de la cour d'appel, Methland Tholla Thomson, de "voleur",
"criminel" et "fraudeur constitutionnel", et à la
publication de sa photographie légendée "cet homme est dangereux", celui-ci
avait porté plainte contre Paul Kamara et son quotidien.
Le directeur de For di People est l'un des journalistes les plus connus du
pays. Il a reçu plusieurs prix internationaux pour son travail et milite
activement pour la défense des droits de l'homme
dans son pays. Au cours de ces dernières années, il a été emprisonné à
plusieurs reprises.
--
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