Articles by ARTICLE 19
Newspapers banned
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – ARTICLE 19 has expressed great concern about the serious attacks on press freedom, including the banning of newspapers and the exile, imprisonment and torture of journalists, during the recently ended period of military rule in Sierra Leone. ARTICLE 19 welcomes the restoration of the democratically elected government in Sierra Leone and the […]
Article 19 letter regarding threats posed to NGO’s
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is the full text of a letter written by Article 19 to Daniel arap Moi, President of the Republic of Kenya ARTICLE 19 is very concerned by reports that the Non-Governmental Organisations Co-ordination Board is considering ‘de-registering’ three non-governmental organisations: The Kenya Human Rights Commission, Econews and Kituo cha Sheria. […]
Journalists possibly in danger
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – ARTICLE 19 is concerned about the safety of a number of journalists reported to be in the custody of the West African Peace Keeping Forces (ECOMOG) since the capture of Freetown. The following are believed to by held by ECOMOG at present: **New cases and updates IFEX alerts as noted in text** […]
Clinton advisor’s testimony breaches international law
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – ARTICLE 19 condemns the action which, on 26 February, forced President Clinton’s advisor, Sidney Blumenthal, to disclose to a federal grand jury names of journalists and contents of his discussions with the media. Kenneth Starr, the independent counsel, served a wide-ranging subpoena on Mr Blumenthal, claiming that he needed details of Mr […]
Commonwealth should put Kenya on red list; strongarm Nigerian regime
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – ARTICLE 19 is calling for the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), meeting 2-3 March 1998 in London, to add Kenya to its list of serious and persistent human rights offenders (currently Nigeria, Sierra Leone and the Gambia), and to take measures which would put serious pressure on the Nigerian regime.1 Article 19’s […]
Ninth anniversary of fatwa against Salman Rushdie
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – In a 12 February 1998 press release, ARTICLE 19 states that, in the run up to the ninth anniversary of the fatwa threatening the lives of writer Salman Rushdie and his associates, the International Rushdie Defence Committee has written to European Union (EU) President Robin Cook asking if it would be possible […]
Writer/religious scholar detained since 1996
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – ARTICLE 19 is extremely concerned about the continuing detention without charge or trial of Shaikh Abd al-Amir Mansur al-Jamri, a 60-year old writer and religious scholar. According to ARTICLE 19’s information, Shaikh al-Jamri, a former member of Bahrain’s National Assembly, dissolved by the Amir in 1975, has been a prominent campaigner for […]
Renewed detention of journalist; continued closure of radio station
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – According to ARTICLE 19, Baboucar Gaye, proprietor of Citizen FM radio, was detained on 10 February 1998, and the enforced closure of the radio station continued on 11 February 1998. Background Information Gaye was arrested, along with Ebrima Sillah, news editor of Citizen FM radio, by the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) on […]