Government continues to refuse to issue publishing permit

(IPI/IFEX) – IPI is concerned about the Liberian government’s continued refusal to give the “New Democrat Weekly” a permit to resume publishing. The “New Democrat Weekly” existed and was registered with the Ministry of Information before the destruction of the newspaper’s offices in April 1996, which occurred when leaders of the warring factions competing for […]

(IPI/IFEX) – IPI is concerned about the Liberian government’s continued
refusal to give the “New Democrat Weekly” a permit to resume publishing. The
“New Democrat Weekly” existed and was registered with the Ministry of
Information before the destruction of the newspaper’s offices in April 1996,
which occurred when leaders of the warring factions competing for political
supremacy in Liberia destroyed all independent media outlets in the capital,
Monrovia. The building housing the “New Democrat Weekly” was razed to the
ground, leaving the presses, darkroom and other equipment in ashes. The
paper’s computers were looted and sold to offices of the Nigerian Army in
the West African peacekeeping force, ECOMOG.

**Updates IFEX alert dated 1 May 1996**

The “New Democrat Weekly” has not been allowed to relaunch its operations
due to the Government’s claim that the paper failed to meet a January 1997
deadline, based on a 1972 law which requires all newspapers to register
within a certain timeframe.

IPI regards the refusal of the Ministry of Information to give the “New
Democrat Weekly” a permit to be an outright banning and a violation of
everyone’s right to “seek, receive and impart information and ideas”, as
guaranteed in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Recommended Action

H.E. Charles Taylor

President of the Republic of Liberia

Monrovia

Liberia

co public fax at Telecom +231 225217