(MISA/IFEX) – The following is a joint MISA and Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) alert: On 9 February 2004, journalist Mike Jabeteh, of “The Analyst” newspaper, was severely beaten by a member of the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) rebel group. Jabeteh bled from the ears as a result of the beating. […]
(MISA/IFEX) – The following is a joint MISA and Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) alert:
On 9 February 2004, journalist Mike Jabeteh, of “The Analyst” newspaper, was severely beaten by a member of the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) rebel group. Jabeteh bled from the ears as a result of the beating. He also lost his wristwatch, tape recorder and 500 Liberian dollars (US$500).
According to MFWA sources in Liberia, the incident occurred in Tubmanburg, Bomi county, 42 kilometres west of the capital, Monrovia, where the journalist had gone to cover the voluntary disarmament of the LURD by its chairman, Sekou Damante Conneh.
The reporter told MFWA that his assailant, identified only as “Number Seven”, accused him of “reporting bad things about the chairman.” Jabeteh alleged that Conneh witnessed the assault.
MFWA and MISA call on both the National Transitional Government of Liberia (NTGL), headed by Gyude Bryant, and Conneh and the LURD high command, to conduct a thorough investigation into this incident and immediately take steps to end the perpetuation of impunity and media rights abuses in Liberia.
Independent journalists and freedom of expression advocates were the hardest hit victims of the 14-year reign of terror under the regime of former president Charles Taylor.
**MISA and MFWA as a joint activity, will henceforth issue alerts, statements and appeals to highlight media freedom and wider human rights violations in West Africa. See www.misa.org and www.mediafoundationwa.org for more information**