Benin: Three journalists banned from presenting news

 

Three journalists at Benin’s state broadcaster, Office de Radiodiffusion et Television du Benin (ORTB), have been banned from presenting on the television station’s 8pm broadcast.

 

Ozias Sounouvou, Prévert Noutèhou and Renaud Acakpo told MFWA’s correspondent in Benin that there was an “order from above that their names should be removed from the list of news presenters for the 20 hours news broadcast”. The order was posted in the editorial room February 1, 2015.

 

The ban of the three journalists follows a statement made by another presenter, Ozias Sounouvou, during the 11:30pm edition on January 12.

 

While presenting the news, Sounouvou called out the President of Benin, Yayi Boni, for participating in a press freedom march in Paris following the Charlie Hebdo attacks while in his own country, people cannot exercise the right to freedom of expression.

Gambia Government called on to investigate Deyda Hydara's murder

Photo credit: Haddija Jawara

Nine years on since journalist Deydara was killed, the Gambia Press Union (GPU), has calledl on the Gambia government to do justice in the murder of journalist Deyda Hydara killed in the line of duty.

 Late Deyda Hydara,  was the managing editor and co-proprietor of The Point newspaper, who was murdered on 16th December 2004. on his paper’s anniversary day. Gambian authorities has never brought the assassins to book

 ‘We call on the Gambia government to properly investigate and brought out assassins of Deyda Hydara,” Jibairu Janneh, executive director of the union said. “Our position still stands the same.”

Janneh was speaking on world press freedom day, a day used to remember colleagues who have been victimize for just speaking out the truth.

World Press Freedom Day is observed annually on 3 May to remind countries and people all around the world, that freedom of the press and freedom of speech and expression are fundamental human rights.

This day is often held to remember many journalists who have died or faced jail in order to bring news to the public.

Photo credit: Haddija Jawara

The government has also been called to do justice in the disappearance of Ebrima ‘chief ’Manneh, who went missing since 2007. Alarmingly, Gambian authorities cannot account for Manneh's whereabouts, and over the years have given evasive and inconsistent responses to regional and international inquiries.

This year’s theme for this day, as declared by the UN, is “Media Freedom for a Better Future: Shaping the post-2015 Development Agenda”.

Done in different styles in other parts of the world, The Gambia celebrates it at the Tango office in a form of symposium with panelists who made presentations in different topics.

Ending 19 years of repression and impunity in The Gambia

 

July 22, 2013, marks 19 years of President Yahya Jammeh's rule of West Africa’s smallest country, The Gambia, after the 48-year old leader ceased power in 1994 through a military coup. 

 

The 19-year rule of President Jammeh has been characterised by brutal repression of citizens’ rights to free expression. Freedom of speech and media rights have remained stifled mainly through the application of inimical laws and the meting out of stiffer punishments after politically motivated trials. 

 

During the period, dozens of human rights advocates and journalists have been exiled, others have been killed and several others have disappeared. In The Gambia today, critical media reportage is literally outlawed, while other rights violations continue to be perpetrated by the government with gross impunity. For example, The Jammeh regime has refused to comply with two human rights judgements delivered against it by the regional community Court of Justice (the ECOWAS Court) since 2010.