Six associations of media professionals in Benin rallied Tuesday in Cotonou, the capital, in a protest march against what they called "the barbarity of security forces" against journalists.
Committee to Protect Journalists
Benin
New York, August 26, 2010--The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns Wednesday's ruling by a criminal court judge in Togo to indefinitely ban the distribution of a Benin newspaper that had raised questions about the alleged involvement of a half-brother of President Faure Gnassingbé in drug trafficking.
Letters
| Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Mali, Niger, Republic of Congo, Senegal, Togo
Your Excellencies: As you gather in Paris for festivities that celebrate your nations’ 50 years of independence, we, the undersigned African press freedom advocates petition for your public commitment to a free, vibrant, and self-sustaining press as a cornerstone of the development of francophone Africa in the next five decades.
On Tuesday, I revisited three cases CPJ had investigated last year, dating from January 2009: the attack on Sirasa TV; the murder of newspaper editor Lasanatha Wickramatunga, and the violent attack on another editor, Upali Tennakoon and his wife, Dhammika. Last year's report was called Failure to Investigate. Today, I'll take a look at the implications of the government's failure to bring any of them to prosecution as the country moves toward presidential elections on January 26.Court documents recently revealed that a coroner's report found that Wickramatunga's death was "caused not due to gunshot injuries, but injuries caused to his head with a sharp weapon." Iron bars, wooden poles, pistols, silenced or not, what's the difference? There is one.
Reports
| Algeria, Benin, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, France, Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Lebanon, Mexico, Missing, Nepal, Russia, Rwanda, Serbia, Uganda, Ukraine
CPJ research indicates that the following journalists have disappeared while doing their work. Although some of them are feared dead, no bodies have been found, and they are therefore not classified as "Killed." If a journalist disappeared after being held in government custody, CPJ classifies him or her as "Imprisoned" as a way to hold the government accountable for the journalist's fate.
Attacks on the Press
| Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Togo, Uganda
Attacks & developments throughout the region
TEMPLATE
New York, December 4, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned at the jailing in Benin of two journalists convicted of criminal defamation.
A court in the capital Cotonou sentenced editor Clément Adéchian and reporter Cécil Adjévi of the private daily L’Informateur to six months in prison on December 2. It also fined them CFA francs 500,000 (US$1,000), according to CPJ sources and media reports. They were jailed the same day.
New York, February 21, 2007--The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns criminal convictions handed down on Friday in Benin against three journalists and an executive of private Golfe media group over a February 2005 story alleging governmental corruption.
A court in the capital Cotonou sentenced Golfe media group President Ismael Soumano, former Golfe FM Director Euloge Aïdasso, former Director Joel Ahofojji and former Golfe TV Editorial Chronicler Charbel Aïhou to six months in prison and heavy damages and fines on criminal defamation charges, according to local journalists. The charges stem from a story alleging that the sacking of former Housing Minister Luc Gnacadja by then-President Mathieu Kérékou was linked to his mismanagement of a public housing project, according to the same sources. The journalists are free pending an appeal, according to defense lawyer Magloire Yansunnu.
A court in the capital Cotonou sentenced Golfe media group President Ismael Soumano, former Golfe FM Director Euloge Aïdasso, former Director Joel Ahofojji and former Golfe TV Editorial Chronicler Charbel Aïhou to six months in prison and heavy damages and fines on criminal defamation charges, according to local journalists. The charges stem from a story alleging that the sacking of former Housing Minister Luc Gnacadja by then-President Mathieu Kérékou was linked to his mismanagement of a public housing project, according to the same sources. The journalists are free pending an appeal, according to defense lawyer Magloire Yansunnu.
New York, February 9, 2007—An appeals court in the capital Cotonou released today two journalists of a private daily newspaper after they publicly retracted a rape story. They were jailed since December 2, 2006 on a six-month criminal libel sentence.
Director Clément Adéchian and reporter Cécil Adjévi of L’Informateur were released after agreeing to an out-of-court settlement with plaintiff Maxime Bankolé over an August 29, 2006 story alleging that Bankolé, a court bailiff, had raped a widow, acting Director Franck Pocheme told CPJ. Bankolé withdrew his complaint after the journalists made public apologies in the media and signed an agreement to pay him 5 million CFA francs (US$10,000) in damages, Adéchian later told CPJ.
Director Clément Adéchian and reporter Cécil Adjévi of L’Informateur were released after agreeing to an out-of-court settlement with plaintiff Maxime Bankolé over an August 29, 2006 story alleging that Bankolé, a court bailiff, had raped a widow, acting Director Franck Pocheme told CPJ. Bankolé withdrew his complaint after the journalists made public apologies in the media and signed an agreement to pay him 5 million CFA francs (US$10,000) in damages, Adéchian later told CPJ.
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