Articles by Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
Two journalists briefly detained; two others threatened by police
On 29 March 1996, journalists Jean-Marie Mayard and Augustin Frantz were detained briefly by police in the city of Saint-Marc, north of Port-au-Prince. The journalists, who work for Radio Magik FM and Radio Caraibes, respectively, were held for four hours at the city’s police station. The two were also reportedly assaulted by the police. The […]
Journalist Srecko Latal detained
On 29 March 1996, Bosnian journalist Srecko Latal was apprehended by Bosnian Serb police. Latal, who works for the Associated Press (AP) news agency, was on his way to investigate a series of explosions in Grbavica, located near the border between the Bosnian and Serb zones in Bosnia Herzegovina. Once there, he was confronted and […]
Journalist Joseph Ruyenzi arrested; whereabouts unknown of journalist Manasse Mugabo
On 29 March 1996, journalist Joseph Ruyenzi was arrested by soldiers from the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA). Ruyenzi, a Hutu, works for the Kinyarwanda-language program “Radio Rwanda”. He was reportedly charged with participating in “secret meetings” (“reunions clandestines”). There has been no news of his whereabouts since his reported arrest. Meanwhile, there has been no […]
Staff of “Trinidad Guardian” harassed
Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Basdco Panday said on 2 February 1996 that journalists from the daily “Trinidad Guardian” would not be allowed access to government information until the paper’s editor-in-chief, Jones Madeira, was fired. He contacted Anthony Sagba, chairman of the ANSA McAl group, the newspaper’s financial controller, to demand Madeira’s dismissal. Panday’s action […]
RSF correspondent defamed by police chief
Colonel Gibril Rajoub, chief of the Preventive Security Service (PSS) in the West Bank, has declared that Bassem Eid, the correspondent for Reporters sans frontieres (RSF) in Palestine and a researcher for the human rights defense group B’Tselem, is an “agent of the Israeli police whose goal is to attack the PSS.” Bassem Eid is […]
“Le Messager” editor and journalist sentenced and fined
**For background on “Le Messager” see IFEX CH alerts dated 18 May, 20 April and 10 January 1995** On 16 August 1995, Pius Njawe, editor in chief of “Le Messager”, and a journalist with the weekly were given deferred sentences of two months in prison and fined 300,000 francs CFA in damages for “abuse and […]
Journalist Paddy Mbawa sentenced and remains in prison
On 16 August 1995, Paddy Mbawa, editor-in-chief of the “Cameroun Post”, was sentenced to two years in prison for defamation of Jean Fochive, the chief of police in Cameroon. Although appealing this decision, Paddy Mbawa remains imprisoned at the headquarters of the criminal investigation police unit in Douala. Recommended Action Send appeals to Cameroonian authorities: […]
Two “For di People” editors arrested
On 22 August 1995, Paul Kamara, Editor-in-Chief of “For di People” was arrested in Sierra Leone. The following morning, Editor Vandy Kallon was arrested. The two editors were reproached for the publication of an article on the movements of Sierra- Leone’s army in the north of the country. Recommended Action Send appeals to authorities in […]