The threats come at a time when a coalition of the four main opposition parties is preparing for a peaceful march dubbed Liberation of Côte d'Ivoire, scheduled for 15 May 2010.
(MFWA/IFEX) – On 5 May 2010, Patrice Yao, managing editor of “Le Nouveau Réveil”, a pro-opposition daily newspaper based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, and other officials of the media group received threatening SMS messages and telephone calls warning them to be careful.
Media Foundation for West Africa’s (MFWA) correspondent reported that the threats come at a time when the Rallye des Houphouétistes pour la Démocratie et pour la Paix (RHDP), a coalition of the four main opposition parties, namely, Parti Democratique de Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI), Rassemblement Des Républicains (RDR), Union pour la Démocratie et la Paix en Côte d’Ivoire (UDPCI) and Mouvement des Forces d’Avenir (MFA), is preparing for a peaceful march dubbed Liberation of Côte d’Ivoire, scheduled for 15 May 2010.
Some of the messages which described the officials of Le Réveil media group as “pro-rebels who want to burn the country down” stated that the homes of the officials were known to them.
Le Réveil media group says it will hold the authorities responsible if their rights are infringed upon.
