UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER
Sierra Leone: IFEX Alert, Journalist Arrested; 11/10/97

Sierra Leone: IFEX Alert, Journalist Arrested; 11/10/97


IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community _________________________________________________________________

ACTION ALERT - SIERRA LEONE

7 November 1997

Journalist arrested; list of wanted journalists circulated

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

(CPJ/IFEX) - Winston Ojukutu, correspondent for the BBC, was arrested on 5 November 1997. His arrest was in connection with ad-hoc interviews he held with the public on their reaction to a public statement made by the ruling Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) about their unwillingness to disarm until ECOMOG forces followed suit. Ojukutu's whereabouts is not known.

In addition, a list of 13 journalists wanted by the AFRC ruling party is reportedly in circulation. Some of those on the list have recently been arrested and released. CPJ was unable to confirm two names on the list. The rest are as follows:

1) Foday Fofana, "Opinion" 2) David Tambaryoh, "Punch" 3) Idrissa Conteh, "Concord Times" 4) John Forray, acting editor, "Democrat" 5) Kalilu Fofana, "Vision" 6) Johnathan Leigh, "Independent Observer" 7) Dorothy Awonoor, news editor, "Concord Times" 8) Siaka Massaquoi, columnist, "Vision" 9) Abdul Kpsowa, freelancer 10) Paul Kamara, "For Di People" 11) Pios Forray, "Democrat"

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Send appeals to the ruling Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC): - protesting the arrest of Winston Ojukutu and asking for his immediate release - denouncing arbitrary arrests of journalists as grave attacks on the integrity and freedom of the press - reminding them that Sierra Leone has ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 19 of which recognises the freedom to inform and to be informed - calling on them to respect and enforce the human rights agreements made between Sierra Leone and the international community, namely: Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which guarantees the right to "seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kind," and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and People's Rights.

APPEALS TO:

A.K. Sessay Secretary to the Head of the AFRC Freetown, Sierra Leone Fax: +232 22 229 473

Alieu Kamara Spokesperson for the AFRC Freetown, Sierra Leone Fax: +232 22 228 879

Please copy appeals to the source if possible.

For further information, contact Karen Petersen (x 103) or Selam Demeke (x 118) at CPJ, 330 Seventh Ave., New York, NY 10001, U.S.A., tel: +1 212 465 1004, fax: +1 212 465 9568, e-mail: kpetersen@cpj.org, Internet: http://www.cpj.org/.

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

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