(CPJ/IFEX) – At approximately 10:00 a.m. on 5 May 1999, plainclothes detectives from the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) detained journalists Ahmed Kanneh, Thomas Gbow, and Mohammad Massaquoi – publisher, editor, and news editor, respectively, for “The New Storm” weekly newspaper – at the newspaper’s offices in Freetown. The journalists were transported to the central police […]
(CPJ/IFEX) – At approximately 10:00 a.m. on 5 May 1999, plainclothes
detectives from the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) detained
journalists Ahmed Kanneh, Thomas Gbow, and Mohammad Massaquoi – publisher,
editor, and news editor, respectively, for “The New Storm” weekly
newspaper – at the newspaper’s offices in Freetown. The journalists were
transported to the central police station in Freetown, where they are
currently being held without charge. According to Sierra Leone law, suspects
may not be held for more than 72 hours without charge.
The arrests stem from an article published in this week’s edition of “The
New Storm”. The article reported that the West African Peacekeeping Force
(ECOMOG) Commander, Maj.-Gen. Felix Mujakperuo, spoke with Col. Sam Bockrie
of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebel forces by telephone, and that,
during the conversation, Majakperou said that he would not listen to
Bockrie.
A 5 May press release issued by Maj.-Gen. Majakperou’s office stated that
the reported conversation did not take place and that “The New Storm”
article implied that the ECOMOG commander did not want peace in Sierra
Leone.
