Gabon

(RSF/IFEX) – Journalist Habib Papy Boudendji, known as Habib Bilalou, of the satirical weekly “Le Nganga”, left hospital on 10 December 2008 after treatment for serious injuries from a brutal beating by soldiers within the presidential palace overnight on 5-6 December. In one of his articles, carried by “Le Nganga” on 27 November, he pointed […]

(RSF/IFEX) – Habib Papy Boubendji, also known as Habib Bibalou, an investigative journalist with the satirical weekly “Le Nganga”, was badly beaten by soldiers inside the presidential compound in Libreville on the night of 5 December 2008, Reporters Without Borders has learned from several sources. He is now in intensive care in a military hospital […]

(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders condemns the beating which cameraman Claude Aba Mboula of privately-owned TV station Télé Africa received from police when he filmed police violence during a street protest against cost of living increases in Libreville on 25 April 2008. “Cases of journalists on the job being physically attacked by police are increasing […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 12 March 2008 CPJ press release: GABON: Newspaper suspended over report on president’s wealth New York, March 12, 2008 – Gabonese authorities banned on Tuesday a private newspaper for republishing a report on President Omar Bongo’s private wealth in France, according to local news reports. The original story appeared […]

Freedom of the Press 2007: Gabon

(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders calls on the Gabonese authorities to explain why Repé Kabamba, a Congolese freelance journalist, was arrested on 7 February 2008 by members of a government security unit known as B2 when he went to interview the head of the Office of Ports and Harbours (OPRAG), in Libreville, about allegations of […]

(JED/IFEX) – On 8 October 2007, the National Communication Council (Conseil national de la communication, CNC), Gabon’s media regulatory body, suspended two newspapers: “La Nation”, a privately-owned bi-monthly based in the capital, Libreville, and “Le Gri-Gri International”, a satirical, privately-owned bi-monthly published in Paris, but distributed in Gabon. In a statement that appeared on 8 […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 1 August 2007 CPJ press release: Jailed Gabonese journalist hospitalized, sentenced New York, August 1, 2007 – The director of a private newspaper in Libreville, the capital of Gabon, was handed a suspended prison term and a fine today, but could not appear in court after he was hospitalized […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 3 July 2007 CPJ press release: Editorial critical of Gabonese president lands publisher in prison New York, July 3, 2007 – An editorial critical of Gabonese President Omar Bongo, Africa’s longest-serving head of state, has led authorities in the capital, Libreville, to arrest a publisher and suspend his newspaper, […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 2 March 2007 CPJ press release: Gabonese government bans tabloid for three months New York, March 2, 2007 – The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed that authorities in the capital, Libreville, have suspended a satirical newspaper for three months, apparently after it published commentary critical of President Omar […]

(JED/IFEX) – Norbert Ngoua Mezui, the founder and of the Libreville-based, privately-owned bi-monthly “Nku’u Le Messager”, was released provisionally on 6 November 2006, following a Libreville Correctional Appeal Court ruling, which came as the journalist was serving the second last day of his prison sentence. The court scheduled a public hearing for 11 December, to […]

(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders calls for the immediate release of Norbert Ngoua Mezui, founder-editor of the privately-owned weekly “Nku’u Le Message”, and condemns the ploy which led to his arrest. “Putting a sentence which was never served back on the agenda, three years after the fact, is a blatant attempt at manipulation against Norbert […]

(JED/IFEX) – Journalist in Distress (JED), an independent and non-partisan organization for the defense and promotion of freedom of expression, and member of the alert network of the Alerts Network of the Central African Media Organization (OMAC), is outraged by the National Council of Communications’ (CNC) suspension of the Libreville-based, privately-owned weekly, “L’Echo du Nord”. […]

“(RSF/IFEX) – The following is an abridged version of RSF’s statement: (RSF/IFEX) – On the morning of 21 December 2005, journalists Joëlle Ibinga and Ginette Moussadji went to Libreville’s seaside boulevard to cover a peaceful demonstration organised not far from the presidential palace. Protestors were calling for compensation and for their right to lands which […]

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is a translation of a 30 November 2005 ARTICLE 19 letter to Gabonese President Omar Bongo Ondimba: Mr. Omar Bongo Ondimba, President of the Gabonese Republic Dear Mr. President, On the occasion of your re-election to the Gabonese presidency, ARTICLE 19 would like to encourage you to take action to […]

(RSF/IFEX) – On 31 August 2005, a new issue of the independent bimonthly newspaper “Nku’u Le Messager” was published for the first time since it was suspended by the National Council for Communication (CNC) on 11 August. The CNC has not yet officially announced that “Nku’u Le Messager” is authorised to resume publishing, but the […]