Series of developments regarding harassment of “Trinidad Guardian”
**Updates IFEX alert dated 13 February 1996** During the past month-and-a-half, significant pressures have been placed on the staff of the “Trinidad Guardian”. On 7 February 1996, Prime Minister Basdeo Panday temporarily lifted a ban on the “Trinidad Guardian” newspaper’s access to government information. Soon after, however, Michael Mansoor, who is head of the Trinidad […]
Newspaper vendor arrested
In early March 1996, Jude Sinnee, a newspaper vendor in Bori, an Ogoni settlement in Rivers State, was arrested at his newsstand by armed agents of the Rivers State Internal Security Task Force. The agents, led by a Major Obi, also confiscated 500 copies of various publications, including 100 copies of the daily newspaper “National […]
Newspaper “Gestion” subject to harassment by government agency
The Superintendencia Nacional de Administracion Tributaria (SUNAT)–the government agency responsible for policing taxation and contraband–has ceased advertising in the business-oriented daily “Gestion”. The decision was made in response to articles published by “Gestion” in early March 1996 which were critical of SUNAT and the Peruvian government’s economic adjustment program. Shortly after the articles were published, […]
Croatian Parliament adopts amendments to Penal Code which will severely curtail press freedom
**Updates IFEX alert dated 14 March 1996** On 29 March 1996, the Croatian Parliament voted to adopt amendments to the country’s Penal Code that would re-establish crimes of the media. Journalists who contravene any of the crimes could face penalties ranging from six months to three years in prison. For the amendments to become law […]
Six journalists and media workers arrested at printing press
On 26 March 1996, State Security police arrested approximately six editors, reporters and clerical employees of the newspapers “Ethiop” and “Tekwami” as copies of the newspapers were being printed in the city of Bole. Police seized the newspapers’ galleys and transported the journalists to Ma’ekelawi prison. Family members confirmed that Dereje Haile, a journalist for […]
Two journalists briefly detained; two others threatened by police
On 29 March 1996, journalists Jean-Marie Mayard and Augustin Frantz were detained briefly by police in the city of Saint-Marc, north of Port-au-Prince. The journalists, who work for Radio Magik FM and Radio Caraibes, respectively, were held for four hours at the city’s police station. The two were also reportedly assaulted by the police. The […]
Supreme Court upholds sentences of two journalists and media worker
**Updates IFEX alerts dated 18 March, 26 January 1996, 29 November, 1 September 1995 and others** During the last week of March 1996, the Indonesian Supreme Court upheld the three-year sentences of Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) members Ahmad Taufik and Eko Maryadi, as well as the 20-month sentence of AJI office assistant Danang Wardoyo. […]
Namibian Broadcasting Corporation refuses to release video footage
**Updates IFEX alert dated 27 March 1996** The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) has refused to release video footage to a German television crew which wanted to make a programme on the holding of truth commissions in Namibia and South Africa. On 29 March 1996, the crew, which works for the German television station ZDF, sought […]
Editor-in-chief of “La Republica” threatened
Carlos Maravi, the editor-in-chief of “La Republica” newspaper, was recently the target of a threatening letter that was sent to him as well as to other media outlets. The threat was made because, according to the letter’s contents, the newspaper had reportedly defended the former President of Peru, Alan Garcia Perez. In particular, the letter […]
Journalist Srecko Latal detained
On 29 March 1996, Bosnian journalist Srecko Latal was apprehended by Bosnian Serb police. Latal, who works for the Associated Press (AP) news agency, was on his way to investigate a series of explosions in Grbavica, located near the border between the Bosnian and Serb zones in Bosnia Herzegovina. Once there, he was confronted and […]
Journalist Joseph Ruyenzi arrested; whereabouts unknown of journalist Manasse Mugabo
On 29 March 1996, journalist Joseph Ruyenzi was arrested by soldiers from the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA). Ruyenzi, a Hutu, works for the Kinyarwanda-language program “Radio Rwanda”. He was reportedly charged with participating in “secret meetings” (“reunions clandestines”). There has been no news of his whereabouts since his reported arrest. Meanwhile, there has been no […]
United Nations Human Rights Committee members criticize indefinite imprisonment of editors
**Updates IFEX alerts dated 27, 25, 20, 14, 13, 12, 6, 4, 1 March, 28, 27, 23 February 1996** Several members of the United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) say the decision by Speaker of the National Assembly Robinson Nabulyato to order the indefinite imprisonment of two newspaper editors was a serious violation of the […]
PEN receives reply to appeal on assault of journalist Leung Tin-wai
**Updates IFEX alert of 17 May 1996** PEN American Center received a reply to its letter to Hong Kong Governor Chris Patten expressing concern at the attack on editor Leung Tin-Wai. The letter, signed by Patten, follows: “Dear Ms. Hollander, “Thank you for your letter of 17 May 1996. I fully share your concerns about […]
Staff of “Trinidad Guardian” harassed
Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Basdco Panday said on 2 February 1996 that journalists from the daily “Trinidad Guardian” would not be allowed access to government information until the paper’s editor-in-chief, Jones Madeira, was fired. He contacted Anthony Sagba, chairman of the ANSA McAl group, the newspaper’s financial controller, to demand Madeira’s dismissal. Panday’s action […]
RSF correspondent defamed by police chief
Colonel Gibril Rajoub, chief of the Preventive Security Service (PSS) in the West Bank, has declared that Bassem Eid, the correspondent for Reporters sans frontieres (RSF) in Palestine and a researcher for the human rights defense group B’Tselem, is an “agent of the Israeli police whose goal is to attack the PSS.” Bassem Eid is […]
Six journalists beaten
On 10 August 1995, plainclothes police, youth-wingers from the ruling Kenyan African National Union (KANU) party, and riot police beat six journalists and two other travellers. The journalists were attacked while covering a visit by Richard Leakey, Secretary General of the soon-to-be SAFINA party, to the Nakuru magistrate’s court where detained human rights activist Koigi […]