(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is a 17 December 2002 IFJ media release: IFJ Condemns Flogging of Liberian Journalist The International Federation of Journalists, the world’s largest journalists’ organisation, today condemned the illegal flogging of a Liberian journalist, Mr. Throble Suah, of the independent daily Inquirer, by men believed to be officers of the Presidential elite […]
(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is a 17 December 2002 IFJ media release:
IFJ Condemns Flogging of Liberian Journalist
The International Federation of Journalists, the world’s largest journalists’ organisation, today condemned the illegal flogging of a Liberian journalist, Mr. Throble Suah, of the independent daily Inquirer, by men believed to be officers of the Presidential elite force, the Anti-Terrorist Unit (ATU).
The IFJ is supporting the call of its affiliate, the Press Union of Liberia, for urgent action by the authorities to bring the perpetrators of this “uncivilized, bestial and barbaric act to justice.”
The Union says it is also deeply troubled by remarks attributed to those responsible for the flogging of Mr. Suah to the effect that certain media houses and their employees have been blacklisted for “anti-government coverage”.
“This incident is an astonishing attack on journalists and press freedom,” said Aidan White, General Secretary of the IFJ. “The government must root out this barbarism and clarify its support for independent journalism. Media must not be subject to bullying and violent intimidation.”
The IFJ represents more than 500,000 journalists in more than 100 countries.