Journalist threatened by opposition group spokesman in Bouaké
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has expressed concern about threats made by an opposition spokesman against Baba Coulibaly, a correspondent in the northern town of Bouaké for the independent daily “L’Inter” and the Reuters and Pana news agencies. The organisation urged Communications Minister Guillaume Soro to strong condemn the threats. Soro is also secretary general of the […]
RSF joins inquiry into French journalist’s murder and deplores ongoing hostility towards foreign media
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has announced that it has officially joined the investigation into the 21 October 2003 murder in Côte d’Ivoire of Radio France International (RFI) journalist Jean Hélène. The organisation also deplored the climate of hatred and tension fuelled by media on both sides in the country’s civil war and noted that it endangers […]
French journalist killed by police officer
(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is an IFJ media release: IFJ Condemns “Shocking and Savage” Killing of Journalist in the Ivory Coast The International Federation of Journalists today condemned the assassination of veteran French correspondent Jean Hélène from Radio France Internationale (RFI) by a policeman in Abidjan as a “shocking and savage attack on press freedom.” […]
RSF provides government with recommendations on how to “professionalise” press
(RSF/IFEX) – The following is a 15 April 2003 RSF press release: Government advised on how to “professionalise” press Reporters Without Borders has provided President Laurent Gbagbo, Prime Minister Seydou Diarra and Communications Minister Guillaume Soro with recommendations on how to encourage a more professional news media. This was done in response to the interest […]
Journalist found dead in western region
(RSF/IFEX) – The body of Kloueu Gonzreu, a correspondent for the state-owned Agence ivoirienne de presse (AIP), was found on 19 March 2003 in the western region of Toulépleu, according to the International Red Cross. He had been missing since 11 January and several sources said he had been arrested by Liberians fighting alongside pro-government […]
Three international radio stations allowed to resume FM broadcasts; several journalists roughed up by soldiers and civilians
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has welcomed the Abidjan authorities’ decision to allow three international radio stations – Radio France Internationale (RFI), the BBC and the pan-African station Africa No. 1 – to resume local retransmissions of their programmes on FM frequencies after a five-month interruption. The three international radio stations’ FM broadcasts were halted by the […]
Journalist reported missing for the past month, feared dead; another journalist released
(RSF/IFEX) – Kloueu Gonzreu, a local correspondent with the Ivorian News Agency (Agence ivoirienne de presse, AIP, a state agency), has been reported missing from the Toulépleu region (in western Côte d’Ivoire) since 11 January 2003. According to several sources, he was reportedly arrested by Liberian militiamen fighting with loyalist forces and may have been […]
Journalist detained by rebels in western Côte d’Ivoire
(RSF/IFEX) – A reporter from the independent daily “Soir Info” was detained by rebels on 6 February 2003 in Man (western Côte d’Ivoire). RSF urges the three rebel groups that operate in the city to do everything possible to secure the journalist’s prompt release. “Press freedom can no longer be taken for granted in Côte […]
Peace treaty signing marked by renewed violence against journalists and media outlets
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF welcomes the commitments made by participants at the Côte d’Ivoire peace talks with regards to media issues. The Linas-Marcoussis treaty, signed the night of 24 January 2003 and endorsed by the African heads of state who met in Paris two days later, enshrined Points V and VI on “Media” and “Human Rights”. […]
RSF calls on participants in peace talks to make a commitment to a freer and more responsible press
(RSF/IFEX) – The following is a 16 January 2003 RSF press release: RSF has written to all the delegations taking part in the Ivory Coast peace talks being held in Linas-Marcoussis (south of Paris) between 15 and 24 January 2003, asking them to raise the issue of the media in the Ivory Coast. The organisation […]
French journalist accused of spying
(RSF/IFEX) – On 8 January 2003, RSF called on the Ivorian government to reprimand the state media after the government radio station described an arrested French journalist as “a spy in the pay of the country’s rebel forces.” Journalist Anne Boher, who works for the British news agency Reuters, was arrested on 6 January by […]
Opposition and foreign journalists targeted with impunity
(RSF/IFEX) – The following is a 28 October 2002 RSF press release: Opposition and foreign journalists targeted with impunity After a week-long fact-finding mission, Reporters Without Borders appealed to the UN Security Council on 25 October to ask the International Criminal Court (ICC) to consider the grave press freedom situation in the country. It demanded […]
Detained French filmmaker released
(RSF/IFEX) – Gaël Mocaer, a freelance filmmaker on assignment for the Radio France Outremer (RFO) network, was released on 23 October 2002, in the afternoon. He was detained for six days at the headquarters of the counter-espionage services (Direction de surveillance du territoire, DST) in Abidjan. RSF welcomed Mocaer’s release and again urged the Côte […]
French filmmaker detained in Abidjan for past five days
(RSF/IFEX) – Gaël Mocaer, a freelance filmmaker on assignment for the Radio-France Outremer (RFO) network, has been detained at the headquarters of the counter-espionage services (Direction de surveillance du territoire, DST) in Abidjan since 17 October 2002. RSF urges the Côte d’Ivoire authorities, especially Communications Minister Séry Bailly, to take all the measures necessary to […]
Offices of Radio Nostalgie ransacked
(RSF/IFEX) – About 20 armed men in combat uniforms ransacked the offices of the private station Radio Nostalgie in Abidjan on the evening of 17 October 2002. “Further to the ransacking of the offices of the newspapers ‘Le Patriote’, ‘Tassouman’ and ‘Abidjan Magazine’, this latest attack highlights the violence faced by the independent media in […]
Journalists increasingly at risk as military crisis continues; journalist reportedly kidnapped and released
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 16 October 2002 CPJ press release: IVORY COAST: NEWSPAPER OFFICES DESTROYED Journalists increasingly at risk as military crisis continues New York, October 16, 2002-A group of about 50 people today looted and ransacked the offices of the private Mayama media group, publisher of three Ivory Coast pro-opposition newspapers, said […]