Since the publication of the article, the police have been looking for El Hadj Thierno Mamadou Bah, who felt compelled to go into hiding.
(MFWA/IFEX) – On 19 December 2011, officials of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Guinean Police went into the offices of the privately-owned “Le Défi” newspaper to arrest publisher El Hadj Thierno Mamadou Bah over an article that was deemed critical of the administration of President Alpha Condé.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)’s correspondent in Guinea reported that “since the newspaper came out on Monday 19 December, the police have been looking for El Hadj Thierno Mamadou Bah. They are looking for him because of the article. A member of his editorial team confirmed it. This compelled El Hadj Thierno to take refuge in a safe place.”
The article headlined, “Upper Guinea: The End of The Road of Alpha’s Power”, appeared on Page 3 of “Le Défi”. According to MFWA’s correspondent, El Hadj Thierno stated in the article that: “Alpha Condé is a far cry from what Guinea was expecting. His lack of experience has been made manifest much in the same way as his lack of popularity, and this is confirmed on a daily basis in areas including Upper Guinea (his stronghold).”
President Condé and the ruling party have been reportedly facing challenges with the breakup of the Rainbow Alliance of some 90 political parties that supported the president in the last election.
