CAMEROON: Journalist arrested, another in hiding after denouncing sex scandal

ALERT - CAMEROON

6 March 2002

Journalist arrested, another in hiding after denouncing sex scandal

SOURCE: Reporters sans frontières (RSF), Paris

(RSF/IFEX) - In a letter to Justice Minister Amadou Ali, RSF expressed its
concern following the arrest of the publication director of "Le Front
Indépendant" and the police's efforts to locate and arrest the publication
director of "La Nouvelle Presse". Though not wishing to comment on the
details of this case, RSF urged the minister to consult with the relevant
authorities and see to it that the legal action launched against both
journalists is dropped. "Nothing can justify the arrests of these two
journalists as far as we are concerned. International institutions are
constantly recalling that as a sentence for the peaceful expression of an
opinion, imprisonment constitutes a serious human rights violation,"
explained RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard.

According to information collected by RSF, Peter William Mandio, publication
director of the weekly "Le Front Indépendant", was arrested on 1 March 2002
in Yaoundé. He was questioned several times about an article that reported
on an extra-marital affair between a secretary-general and director-general
from the office of the president. The article did not include the names of
the accused persons. Mandio was released on the evening of 4 March, but was
also ordered to "remain accessible to the judiciary." According to the
journalist, his arrest may also be linked to his participation in the
National Committee Against Impunity (Comité national contre l'impunité), a
local organisation that has filed a complaint for "crimes against humanity"
against President Paul Biya in Belgium.

In addition, "La Nouvelle Presse" publication director Jacques Blaise Mvié
is currently being sought by the security forces. The journalist published
the names of the two senior bureaucrats from the president's office who are
allegedly having an affair. Mvié is currently in hiding. According to his
newsroom, plainclothes police officers are keeping the newspaper's offices
under surveillance.

For further information, contact Jean-François Julliard at RSF, rue Geoffroy
Marie, Paris 75009, France, tel: +33 1 44 83 84 84, fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51,
e-mail: [email protected], Internet: http://www.rsf.fr

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