RSF expresses concern over health and safety of jailed publication director
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has expressed deep concern over the deterioration of “Le Venin” (“Venom”) publication director Gaston Bony’s health. Bony is imprisoned in the Agboville penitentiary, just outside of Abidjan. “The deplorable conditions of [Bony’s] detention and a five day hunger strike have considerably weakened him. Moreover, he claims to have received death threats from […]
Radio France International broadcasts suspended for 24 hours
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has expressed regret over the National Audiovisual and Communications Board’s (Conseil national de la communication audiovisuelle, CNCA) decision to suspend Radio France International (RFI) broadcasts for 24 hours. “This decision does not bode well. RFI was merely doing its job by broadcasting important information. The CNCA decision only serves to emphasise the […]
Journalist escapes kidnapping attempt, assailants mistakenly abduct another journalist
(MISA/IFEX) – The following is a joint MISA and Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) alert: On 11 May 2004, Méité Sindou, a journalist and director-general of the Mayama Group, which publishes the daily “Le Patriote” newspaper, escaped a kidnapping attempt when three assailants abducted another journalist, mistaking him for Sindou. According to MFWA-Cote d’Ivoire, […]
Journalist brutally assaulted by police officers
(MISA/IFEX) – The following is a joint MISA-MFWA alert: On 6 May 2004, Thibault Gbei, a reporter with the privately-owned newspaper “L’Intelligent d’Abidjan”, was assaulted by a group of police officers. Gbei was severely beaten and lost a great deal of blood as a result of the assault. According to MFWA sources in Côte d’Ivoire, […]
Photojournalist receives death threats, flees to Senegal
(WAN/IFEX) – In a 7 May 2004 letter to President Laurent Gbagbo, WAN and the World Editors Forum (WEF) expressed serious concern over the disappearance of journalist Guy André Keiffer and the death threats made against his colleague Baudelaire Mieux. According to reports, Keiffer, an investigative reporter of French-Canadian nationality and correspondent for the newspaper […]
Journalist assaulted
(MISA/IFEX) – The following is a joint MISA and Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) alert: On 29 April 2004, Francois Agui, a cameraman for the Ivoirian Broadcasting Corporation’s (RTI) television network, was beaten up by government supporters at the Chaumproux Stadium in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire’s commercial capital. Agui had gone to cover a rally […]
CPJ troubled by journalist’s disappearance
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a CPJ press release: FRENCH-CANADIAN JOURNALIST MISSING IN IVORY COAST New York, April 21, 2004-The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is deeply troubled by the disappearance of French-Canadian freelance journalist Guy-André Kieffer, one of the few foreign investigative reporters still based in Ivory Coast. Kieffer had been receiving death threats […]
Journalist missing
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has expressed concern following the disappearance of Guy-André Kieffer, an independent journalist who has been missing since 16 April 2004. “We are very concerned about Guy-André Kieffer’s disappearance. In this country that remains divided and unstable, journalists continue to work in a very volatile situation; nobody can forget the tragic death of […]
Journalist sentenced to six months in prison for defamation
(RSF/IFEX) – On 31 March 2004, Gaston Bony, publication director of the weekly “Le Venin” (“Venom”), was sentenced to six months in prison with no parole and jailed at the Agboville prison, in a suburb of Abidjan. Bony’s imprisonment came despite assurances by the authorities, including President Laurent Gbagbo, that no journalist in the country […]
CPJ concerned about attacks on journalists and apparent censorship of media
(CPJ/IFEX) – In a 30 March 2004 letter to President Laurent Gbagbo, CPJ expressed its concern about a series of attacks against journalists by security forces during recent mass opposition demonstrations in Côte d’Ivoire. While more than half a dozen Ivoirian journalists have reported being physically attacked by officials, many more were arrested, intimidated, and […]
RSF concerned about arrests and attacks on journalists in Abidjan
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has urged President Laurent Gbagbo to bring members of the security forces responsible for policing opposition demonstrations under control after three journalists were arrested and a fourth was beaten by police on 25 March 2004. On 25 March, journalist Al Séni and photographers Messmer Agbola and Kady Sidibé, from the opposition daily […]
Political leaders on all sides urged to keep their promises concerning press freedom
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has called on all Ivoirian national and local politicians to keep the promises they made concerning press freedom as part of the January 2003 Marcoussis Agreement aimed at ending the country’s civil war. The organisation said journalists still face a climate of constant lawlessness and that despite advances in the national reconciliation […]
Three journalists assaulted by presidential guardsmen
(RSF/IFEX) – A photographer with “Le Patriote”, a daily that is close to the opposition, and two other journalists were recently assaulted by members of Ivoirian President Laurent Gbagbo’s presidential guard. On 31 January 2004, “Le Patriote” photographer Ibrahim Diarra was beaten up by presidential guardsmen in Yamoussoukro, during a foundation stone-laying ceremony held at […]
Two journalists from “Le Courrier d’Abidjan” newspaper assaulted by government minister
(RSF/IFEX) – On 16 January 2004, Thierry Gouégnon and Danielle Sylvie Tagro, a photographer and journalist, respectively, with the private daily “Le Courrier d’Abidjan”, were manhandled by Minister of Technical and Vocational Training Youssouf Soumahoro. RSF condemns the minister’s unacceptable behaviour. “In a country like Côte d’Ivoire, which is in the middle of reconciliation efforts, […]
Tribunal orders government to pay damages to journalist’s heirs
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a CPJ press release: IVOIRIAN MILITARY COURT SENTENCES FRENCH JOURNALIST’S KILLER TO 17 YEARS IN PRISON New York, January 23, 2004-The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) welcomes the verdict delivered yesterday by a military court in Ivory Coast’s commercial capital, Abidjan, sentencing an Ivoirian police officer to 17 years in […]
French journalist Jean Hélène’s killer sentenced to 17 years in prison
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has welcomed the 17-year prison sentence given to the murderer of French radio journalist Jean Hélène. The organisation blamed certain Ivorian media outlets for using extremist rhetoric to foment hatred and creating a hostile climate for foreign journalists. Hélène was shot dead by Police Sergeant Théodore Séri Dago on 21 October 2003. […]