(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has condemned the raid by several dozen police officers on the offices of the independent daily “Awoko”, in the capital, Freetown, on 21 January 2004. Three journalists were manhandled by police during the raid. The raid came after three journalists from the paper went to the scene of an accident, in which […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has condemned the raid by several dozen police officers on the offices of the independent daily “Awoko”, in the capital, Freetown, on 21 January 2004. Three journalists were manhandled by police during the raid.
The raid came after three journalists from the paper went to the scene of an accident, in which a police car collided with another vehicle, during a police operation against illegal street vendors.
Following a tip-off to “Awoko”, three journalists went to the scene of the accident to take photographs. The paper’s offices are located less than 50 metres away from the area. Police officers warned them off and followed the journalists back to their offices. Led by Assistant Police Chief Momodu Bangura, several dozen officers then raided the offices and destroyed equipment. Three journalists – Austin Thomas, Sylvester Suallay and Junior John – were assaulted in the melee.
The following day, the police returned to the newspaper’s offices after it published details of the incident and the raid in its morning edition. The officers threatened to arrest members of “Awoko”‘s management.
“We strongly condemn these brutal methods, which are unworthy of a country that claims to respect the rule of law after 10 years of war. The security forces should allow the press to work in complete freedom,” RSF said. “The government should quickly call the police to order and take steps to ensure that press freedom in Sierra Leone is guaranteed,” the organisation added.
