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Benin:
• Two journalists were given a harsh sentence of six months in prison on 1st December for defamation. Clément Adéchian and Cécil Adjévi who report for L’Informateur newspaper were also given a fine of 500,000 FCFA. Adéchian and Adjévi had accused a bailiff, Maxime Bankolé, of rape but were unable to produce any evidence to support the claim. (RSF)
Burkina Faso:
• Eight years after the journalist for the weekly L’Indépendent, Norbert Zongo, was murdered along with three companions in the town of Sapouy on 13th December, mourners protested against his ‘denial of justice’. In July 2006 the Burkina Faso court ruled that the case against the suspected murderer Marcel Kafando should be abandoned. Zongo had been investigating the death the chauffeur to President Blaise Compaoré at the hands of presidential guards, when he was killed. (IFEX)
Burundi:
• Three journalists; Serge Nibizi, Domitile Kiramvu of Radio Publique Africane (RPA) – charged 22nd November, and Mathias Mamirakiza director of radio Isanganiro – charged 29th November, were put on trial for "disseminating information likely to disturb public order and security". They had been detained illegally since late November. 13th Dec. The trial of the journalists only lasted one day and whilst a verdict was not immediately reached, the state prosecutor requested three years imprisonment and a fine of 300,000 Burundin Francs (US$300) be handed down to the journalists. (RSF and CPJ)
DRC:
• The organisation Journalist en Danger was awarded the 2006 laureate for 'Defender of press freedom' on 12 December. JED was founded in 1997 by journalists Donat M'Baya Tshimanga and Tshivis Tshivuadi. (RSF)
Eritrea:
• The increasing number of internet bloggers has fueled the arrest of journalists. Eritrea is holding over 10 journalists without charge or trial in secret prisons and an overall number of 23 journalists held in prison. Ethiopia has imprisoned 18 journalists most of whom have been tried for treason since November 2005. (CPJ )
The Gambia:
• The International Federation of Journalists renewed its call on the government on 15th December to allow independent investigations into the murder of Deyda Hydara, a journalist for The Point. Hydara was murdered two years ago but police and intelligence investigations have achieved no progress in discovering and charging his murderers. Hydara had been very critical of the Media Commission Bill and other government media laws in the Gambia. (IFEX)
• The editor of Daily Express newspaper based in Banjul, Baron Eloagu, was attacked and robbed on 10th December by unknown persons for writing ‘stupid things about the Gambia’. (IFEX)
Ghana:
• A reporter and the managing editor of Gye Nyame Concord newspaper were prevented from covering a press conference held by the Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority (GPHA) on 4th December. Samuel Asamoah and Alfred Ogbamey's newspaper had written an article claiming the director general of GPHA had benefited from a US$16 million contract with a Chinese company recently. (IFEX)
Guinea:
• Alpha Camara, a reporter for L'Observateur, was assaulted and detained briefly by a police officer in November when trying to cover a meeting of the Conseil National d'Patronat Guinéen (IFEX 4th)
• Kalum Express will be out of circulation from 8th December until 27th January 2007 and it’s managing editor barred from any journalistic work up until that date following government accusations that the paper took sides in battle between state officials and a wealthy businessman. The paper had accused the government of pressurising an audit firm to publish figures in it favour. (IFEX)
Liberia:
• Two reporters for the Daily Observer were accosted by a National Archives Official in Monrovia on 5th Dec. Rufus Paul was investigating allegations that the Archive Director had misappropriated over US$8,000 from the Bureau when he was insulted and assaulted. (IFEX)
• On 1st December two editors for Public Agenda newspaper, Gibson Jerue and Lyndon Ponnie, complained they had been receiving death threats by persons they believe to be the Special Security Service (SSS) Director's agents. These threats follow the newspapers investigation into the shooting and subsequent death of an SSS agent at the SSS Director, Chris Massaquoi's home. (IFEX)
Nigeria:
• On 2nd December the premises of Cosmo FM based in Enugu, were raided by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).Some staff were arrested and documents confiscated. Managing Director and CEO of Cosmo FM Jika Attoh claimed that the EFCC agents had no warrant and caused the radio station to go off air for approximately 2 hours. (IFEX)
• On 22nd December, Godwin Agbroko, a journalist for This Day newspaper, was shot dead in his car in Lagos. Whilst police maintain that Agbroko’s death was a result of a bungled attempt at robbery, Reporters Sans Frontières remains suspicious of this claim as none of Agbroko’s belongings were stolen. Tensions in Nigeria are high as a result of the up-coming elections. (IFEX)
Senegal:
• There have been two separate cases of threats in a period of two weeks. A freelance reporter Dié Maty Fall who works for newspapers including Sud Quotidien and La Populaire, and a presenter for Sud FM, Pape Alé Niang have been threatened as a result of their coverage of politics in the country. Niang was threatened by the justice minister at a Senegalese Tidiane Sy meeting held at the end of November. (RSF)
Somalia:
• Abdi Aziz Guled, a radio correspondent for Radio Simba and Voice of Peace Radio was detained in Puntland (Dec 1st) by the Puntland Intelligence Services. He was held without charge and explanation. Journalists are being embroiled in the military standoff between the Islamists and the transitional government. Massimo Alberizzi, a journalist for Italian newspaper Corriere della Serra, was also arrested on 3rd December by Islamists in Mogadishu. (CPJ)
Sudan:
• Al-Tahir Satti, a journalist for Al-Sahafa, was arrested on 4th December and held in prison in Khartoum for twelve days. Satti was questioned only once for less than ten minutes during this period. (RSF)
Tunisia:
• International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX) Tunisia Monitoring Group (TMG) again called on Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to stop persecuting human rights defenders and journalists. A journalist, Hamadi Jebali and his family, rights defender Moncef Marzouki, journalist Mohamed Fourati, members of the National Council for Liberties in Tunisia, and the family of jailed lawyer and human rights defender Mohamed Abbou have all been harassed by the government (IFEX).
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