

Police arrest two suspects in murder of newspaper journalist
The two arrested men, Victor Haffman, headman of Kossoh town, and Musa Samura, a police constable, are expected to soon appear in court.

Newspaper editor attacked by ruling party militants
The editor believes his ordeal is related to his newspaper’s recent articles about the Ministry of Health.

Newspaper journalist stabbed to death
Ibrahim Foday’s death may be linked to a series of articles he published on an ongoing land dispute between the towns of Grafton and Kossoh.

Journalists’ association to sue opposition politician over attacks on two journalists
The SLAJ has decided to initiate legal action against an opposition presidential aspirant who allegedly masterminded attacks on two “Awareness Times” newspaper journalists.

Newspaper faces criminal prosecution
Authorities have threatened to prosecute publisher Sylvia Olayinka Blyden over an “Awareness Times” article criticising the president.

Minister orders arrest of several newspaper journalists
Abdul Rahman Kamara, Razrok Wurie, Sheik Unisa Thoronka and Alfred Koroma have been released on bail.

Journalist beaten by police, briefly detained
Kadijatu Savage was reportedly violently beaten and briefly detained before being released the intervention of her managing editor.

Radio station receives threats
Radio Democracy started receiving anonymous threats when it announced that it would resume broadcasting.

Court detains journalist for four hours
Arthwah Maddie was detained for erroneously reporting the age of a man jailed for incest.

Supreme Court dismisses journalists’ association challenge to criminal, seditious libel laws
IPI urges the government to ensure libel laws are in line with media freedom standards.

Ruling party militants violently assault radio journalist
Radio Kolenten reporter Gibril Gottor was accused by the militants of “sabotaging” the government.

New broadcasting law gives president control over state media
The new law seeks to merge Sierra Leone Broadcasting Services with the United Nations Radio set up by the world body during the civil war.

Journalists’ group declares news blackout on judiciary
SLAJ imposed a news blackout on the country’s judiciary, as part of its sustained campaign to against the Public Order Act.

ARTICLE 19 recommends improvements to draft information law
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – 28 May 2009 – ARTICLE 19 has prepared a note on the draft Sierra Leonean Right to Access Information Bill 2008, prepared through a collaborative effort of local NGOs and the authorities. The draft Bill is, for the most part, a progressive piece of legislation which draws on better international and comparative […]

Newspaper publisher turns herself in to police, bail set at “extortionary” level
The amount of bail which a Freetown court has set for the release of Sylvia Blyden, the publisher and editor of the independent newspaper “Awareness Times”, is tantamount to judicial extortion, Reporters Without Borders has said.

Newspaper editor-in-chief threatened, in hiding following publication of article about president
On 12 May 2009, Sylvia Blyden, publisher and editor-in-chief of the privately-owned “Awareness Times” newspaper, alleged that her life was in danger and has since fled into hiding