MEDIA FREEDOM REVIEW – JULY 2024

MEDIA FREEDOM REVIEW- JULY 2024

The monthly ‘Media Freedom Review’ is a publication of the Media Reform Coordinating Group (MRCG) produced from the monitoring and reporting on freedom of expression and of the press, internet freedom, digital and online rights, and the safety and security of journalists in Sierra Leone.

In July 2024, MRCG followed up on the physical assault of a journalist in Kenema, the verbal threat against a freelance journalist in Bo, the invitation and detention of a journalist in Kenema, the attack on the office and staff of a radio in Makeni, Northern Sierra Leone, the assault on a journalist, alleged destruction of property of a journalist in Freetown while on duty, alleged assault on a journalist in Moyamba District, alleged physical assault of two journalists, the matter of former Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) boss, the alleged physical assault on a journalist in Waterloo, the matter between a journalist and a magistrate in Pujehun, information request to the Right to Access Information Commission (RAIC)  and other media engagements.

On the matter of Munya Bawoh, a journalist working for All Out Radio 90.1 FM in Kenema, who was allegedly attacked and assaulted on 7 June 2024 by some police officers in Kenema while investigating a story at the Kenema East Police Station, the journalist told MRCG that he was called to a meeting together with the SLAJ Regional and National Executives, the Local Unit Commander (LUC) of Kenema, Edison Vandy and the Mayor of Kenema, Thomas Baio, to settle the matter. He continued that they resolved the following: that the journalist would be under medical observation for ninety days, with his health being taken care of by the police, and that the police in Kenema must apologize for their wrongdoing to the journalist and compensate him for all property lost and destroyed during the incident. The police in charge of the matter, Regional Coordinator, CDIID, Osman Sesay, told MRCG that they were still on the matter with a possibility for it to end soon, after the journalist would have made a withdrawal statement.   

In a follow-up on the matter of Alie Badara, a freelance journalist in Bo, who allegedly received verbal assaults and threatening remarks in May 2024 through a phone call from an unknown individual for a Facebook post he had done on the excesses of the police in their fight against the drug called “Kush” and other illegal substances in Bo, Southern Sierra Leone, the journalist told MRCG that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Bo has forwarded the matter to their headquarters in Freetown, and investigations had commenced. Inspector Moses Tommy Ganda, the police officer attached to the Cyber Unit at the Bo East Police Division, said they were still investigating the matter.

On the matter of Patrick Kai, a journalist working for Calabash newspaper, who was invited for questioning on 16 April 2024 at the Kenema police division for an alleged cybercrime committed against Eastern Technical University (ETU), the journalist told MRCG that he had stopped reporting at the police station. Police said that the matter was still being investigated.

There is still no new development regarding the attack on the office and staff of Hope FM 93.3 in Makeni, Northern Sierra Leone, by a group of thugs reportedly sent by the landlord of the premises housing the radio in October 2023. Stanley Bangura, the radio’s proprietor, said they had left the Landlord’s premises and moved to a new building but said they were yet to be compensated for the damages.

There is still no new development on the alleged attack and assault of the Station Manager of Fountain of Peace Radio, Alie Tokowa, in Moyamba District on 28 March 2023. It was alleged that supporters of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), on the instruction of Mr. Joseph Gbogba, the former District Council Chairman at the SLPP’s party office in Moyamba, Southern Sierra Leone, attacked journalist Tokowa while on duty. Mr. Tokowa again maintained that since the State withdrew the matter from the police, no progress has been made; as such, he was planning to file a formal complaint with the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL). He maintained that he had written but had yet to receive any positive response from some of the human rights organizations to help him take legal action against his attackers. The Local Unit Commander of Police in Moyamba, ASP Franklyn Bawoh, told MRCG that the matter was still with the State Counsel.  

On the case of journalist Osman Hardy Jalloh at the HRCSL, concerning a complaint against Magistrate Joseph Toby of Pujehun Magistrate Court (formerly of Magistrate Court Number 2 in Kenema), Al Mansaray, the owner of TV-News24, in March 2023, had posted on his channel that he had filed a legal paper against the United States Government through the U.S. States Department for failing to take appropriate action when he alerted them about the abuse of power and unprofessional conduct of Magistrate Toby. The Deputy Director of Regional Service of the Human Rights Commission (HRCSL) East, Vandi Saidu, still maintained that the chief complainant, Al Mansaray, owner of TV-News 24, has not responded to the Commission’s email containing the incident summary form sent to him. Al Mansaray again refused to respond to the MRCG on the matter. The MRCG is still monitoring the matter.

On the matter of Emmanuel C Thorli, Managing Editor of Night Watch Newspaper, who was arrested and detained at the CID in Freetown, allegedly for his news article titled ‘We Cannot Wait For Bio To Continue In Power Until 2028’, published on 21 February 2024, police said the matter was still under investigation.

On his other matter with the staff of Njala University, the journalist told MRCG that he was planning to open the matter at the Waterloo police division and bring his attackers to book. Police said the matter had been kept in view.

There is still no progress on the case of the former Anti-Corruption Commissioner, Ady Macauley Esq., who was arrested and detained at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in October 2022 for expressing his legal opinion on AYV Television on the 1965 Public Order Act (POA). He was released, but the matter is still at the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP).

Regarding the alleged destruction of Ibrahim Alusine Kamara’s car, the Editor of Salone Compass Newspaper, during a press conference at the APC Headquarters on 25 June 2023, the Independent Police Complaint Board (IPCB) and the journalist’s legal team have made no further progress. The journalist told MRCG that his lawyers had yet to complete the necessary documentation to take the leadership of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) and the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) to court.

There has been no progress on the matter of Alimamy N’Jai Sesay, who was charged with five counts of various offences in the Cyber Security and Crime Act No. 7 of 2021 for sharing Abdul Will Kamara, alias Adebayor’s audios on social media. The matter is still at the High Court for trial, with the accused in remand. The matter had come up on 7 and 14 March 2024, but the accused was not in court on both days. The court was yet to schedule a hearing date on the matter.

In a follow-up on the arrest warrant for journalist Justice Boima, CEO of Justice FM and TV, for alleged offences relating to cyberstalking and bullying, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Amos Lansana, an officer attached to the Cybercrime Unit at the CID Headquarters and in charge of the matter, told MRCG that the journalist had neither reported to the CID nor been arrested and that they were still searching for him to start their investigation of the matter. 

On 2 July 2024, MRCG and the Minority Rights Group (MRG) organized the Second Edition of Inclusive and Anti-Conflict Journalism Awards 2024 with funding support from the European Union. Three winners emerged from six finalists. The Chief Evaluator, Joshua Nicol, emphasized the need for journalists to report on minority rights issues in the country, as this area is often overlooked in daily reporting.   

From 9 to 11 July 2024, Ahmed Sahid Nasralla, President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), attended the 2nd Regional Conference on Countering Information Manipulation and Hate Speech in West Africa in Lagos, Nigeria. The program was organized by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the Center for Democracy and Development (CDD) with funds from Global Affairs Canada.   

On 17-18 July 2024, the Ministry of Information and Civic Education (MoICE), with support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Plan International, and New York University, held a two-day regional consultative meeting on National Civic Education Policy and Strategy, National Media and Information Policy, National Film Policy and National Records and Archives Policy at the New Brookfield Hotel Conference Hall in Freetown. The Minister, Chernor Bah, called on media stakeholders to collaborate in the creation of a national media policy aimed at addressing media development issues in Sierra Leone and emphasized the need for sector transformation, commitment to advancing press freedom and creating a free media space, aligning with President Bio’s vision and the mandate given to the ministry.

On 30 July 2024, Budget Advocacy Network (BAN), SLAJ, Institutes for Legal Research and Advocacy for Justice (ILRAJ), Eminent Women Peace Mediators- Sierra Leone (EWPM-SL) and the 50/50 Group, through the Right to Access Information law, requested a copy of the final report of the Tribunal set up to investigate the suspended Auditor-General and Deputy Auditor-General, Mrs Lara Taylor-Pearce and Mr Tamba Momoh, respectively, from the Secretary to the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, as well as the Attorney General and Minister of Justice.

The details of the cases and issues will be published in the MRCG Bi-Annual Press Freedom Report for June to November 2024.  

The MRCG’s freedom of expression and the press, internet freedom, digital and online rights, and safety and security of journalists in Sierra Leone initiative is funded by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) in the United States of America. The MRCG seeks to strengthen democratic dialogue and accountability, consolidate peace, and ensure development through professional, independent, and sustainable media based on the right to freedom of expression and the press.