(FMM/IFEX) – Early on the morning of 16 July 2001, an armed group, suspected to be members of the Presidential Security Division (PSD), threatened a group of journalists who are FMM members and confiscated 6,000 posters.The journalists were putting up posters as part of a campaign to mark the second anniversary of the attack on […]
(FMM/IFEX) – Early on the morning of 16 July 2001, an armed group, suspected to be members of the Presidential Security Division (PSD), threatened a group of journalists who are FMM members and confiscated 6,000 posters.The journalists were putting up posters as part of a campaign to mark the second anniversary of the attack on a group of media personnel who were covering an opposition demonstration two years ago (see IFEX alerts of 10 July 2001 and 19 July 1999).
The suspected PSD personnel abused the group of journalists and destroyed three barrels of paste used to put up the posters.The attackers arrived in a Land Rover defender jeep bearing registration No. G.E.1790 and another vehicle with registration No. 32-7240.
FMM strongly condemned this abominable act and noted that it wished to ask the ruling Peoples Alliance whether these actions are part of the democracy it boasts of having established in the country. According to FMM, this is another example of the government’s inability or unwillingness to protect the fundamentals rights of the country’s citizens.
This type of intimidation will not deter FMM from continuing its campaign to force the police to arrest those responsible for the 15 July 1999 attack on journalists.
FMM called on all democratic forces to condemn the use of security apparatuses to undermine freedom of expression in the country.
