Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)

(MFWA/IFEX) – Thierry Nabyoure, a journalist with the privately-owned, Ouagadougou-based newspaper “San Finna”, faces a possible prison sentence if found guilty of charges resulting from an article he published in early 2007. On 4 June 2007, a Ouagadougou court will hear a request by the State Prosecutor to give the journalist a 15-day jail term […]

(MFWA/IFEX) – On 5 May 2007, armed men broke into the offices of the pro-government daily “Le Matin” and made off with cash and various documents. They also stole some of the paper’s equipment. An MFWA correspondent reported that the men stole 3.5 million FCFA (approx. US$7,270), a television set, four cameras, and several dictaphones. […]

(MFWA/IFEX) – On 28 April 2007, guards of President John Agyekum Kufuor prevented journalists from covering the president’s visit to Tamale, capital of Ghana’s Northern Region. Some of the journalists were roughed up and intimidated. One journalist, Edmond Gyebi, a reporter for Accra-based independent daily “The Chronicle”, told an MFWA correspondent that the intimidation and […]

(MFWA/IFEX) – On 3 May 2007, World Press Freedom Day, while discussing the electoral prospects of presidential candidates from the ruling party, a radio correspondent was attacked by a friend of one of those reviewed. Mahama Shaibu, the northern regional correspondent of Joy FM, an independent Accra-based radio station, was slapped and insulted by Abdul […]

(MFWA/IFEX) – On 27 April 2007, Mohammed Ould Saleck, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Mutpêche, a credit union for fishermen in Mauritania, threatened to throw Isselmou Ould Mustapha, managing editor of “Tahalil Hebdo”, an independent weekly newspaper, into the sea for refusing to disclose a source of information. MFWA reported that Saleck, who […]

(MFWA/IFEX) – On 26 April 2007, reporter Kojo Hayford and cameraman Lord Asante Fordjour of TV3, an independent Accra-based television station, were mistreated by Raymond Gbegoah, coordinating director of Akuapem South District Assembly in the eastern region of Ghana. Gbegoah slapped Fordjour and insulted the two journalists before chasing them out of his office. The […]

(MFWA/IFEX) – Sam K. Le Jah, a presenter at Ouga FM, a privately-owned radio station in Ouagadougou, received death threats on 18 April 2007 for allegedly criticising the administration of President Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso. The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) correspondent reported that the threat was communicated to the presenter in an […]

(MFWA/IFEX) – On 17 April 2007, Barnabé Gomes, a presidential press officer, threatened to close Radio Bombolom, an independent radio station based in Bissau, the capital, for allegedly broadcasting a programme that he claimed could worsen the country’s political situation. The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) correspondent reported that after the press officer’s unsuccessful […]