Media under siege in West Africa: 30 workers arrested in 38 days – MFWA
Thirty media workers have been arrested, detained and/or assaulted by security forces in West Africa, prompting fears that the gains that have been made in recent years on press freedom and freedom of expression could be eroded; the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), has said in a press release.
All these arrests happened in a space of 38 days (January 5 to February 12, 2017).
The 30 victims, made up of 15 journalists and 15 media technicians, were arrested, detained and/or assaulted in 10 separate incidents in four countries namely Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea and Togo, the release noted.
Nigeria recorded six incidents, Cote d’Ivoire recorded two incidents while Guinea and Togo recorded an incident each, it also said.
The organisation observed that freedom has come under severe attack in West Africa as security agencies, particularly the police, appear to be on rampage against journalists and media workers.
In Nigeria, seven journalists were arrested and detained during the period. In Cote d’Ivoire, six journalists were arrested and detained in a single incident while one journalist each was affected in Guinea and Togo, bringing the total number of journalists affected to 15, it further said.
In respect of the other media workers, nine staff of a newspaper printing firm were arrested in a single incident. In Cote d’Ivoire, six technicians working with the state-owned television station were also arrested in a single incident, it added.
Details of the incidents in Nigeria as presented in a press freedom report in the month of January shows a growing trend of intolerance on the part of security agencies.
Twelve days after the arrest and detention of six technicians from the Ivorian state television, the Radiodiffusion Télévision Ivoirienne (RTI) on January 31, another set of six journalists from four media organisations were arrested by the paramilitary group, Gendarmerie, after being accused of publishing what the authorities described as ‘false news’ and inciting soldiers to mutiny, it additionally noted.
The above crackdown, it pointed out, is a frightening flashback to the gross human rights abuses, including freedom of expression rights violations witnessed in the sub-region during the heady days of military dictatorship in the 1970s and 80s. Meanwhile, all the four countries in which these violations occurred have legal frameworks that guarantee media freedom.
The MFWA appealed to authorities in the West Africa region, especially authorities in Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire, to abide by their national constitutions as well as regional and international treaties that require them to promote and protect press freedom and freedom of expression.
The MFWA also urged all countries in the region to take urgent steps to bring a halt, the increasing attacks on journalists and media workers.
By Pamela Ofori-Boateng