JournalismPakistan.com | Published March 31, 2012
Join our WhatsApp channel
NEW YORK - The Committee to Protect Journalists has called on Gabon's authorities to drop legal proceedings against six journalists in connection with articles raising questions about use of a presidential plane.
Two of the journalists have fled the country fearing arrest after being summoned by police for interrogation.
Beginning in the first week of March, police in the capital Libreville issued summons to editors Guy Pierre Bitéghé of Le Mbandja, DésiréEname of Echos du Nord, MaximinMezui of La Une, Jean de DieuNdoutoume-Eyi of Edzombolo, BlaiseMengueMenna of La Nation and independent journalist Marc OnaEssangui, according to local journalists.
The summons were based on articles raising critical questions about the use of a presidential plane by MaixentAccrombessi, chief of staff of Gabon President Ali Bongo Ondimba, for an unofficial trip to Benin in November, the journalists told CPJ.
Accrombessi was briefly detained on November 11, 2011, at the international airport in the Beninese city of Cotonou following a security check, according to international news reports.
Beninese independent newspaper Le BéninoisLibéré reported that narcotics, sums of cash, and women were found on board the plane, attributing the information to airport and security sources, according to CPJ interviews with local journalists.
In a press statement, Benin's government called the allegations "false and defamatory," and formally apologized to Gabon. Benin's state-run media regulatory agency subsequently banned Le BéninoisLibéré and forbid publisher AboubacarTakou and Editor Eric Tchakpè from practicing journalism, according to news reports.
While other Gabonese news media reported the incident and the apology by toeing the official line, the five private newspapers commented critically on the allegations, according to local journalists.
"The journalists were reporting on a matter of public interest and there is no reason for authorities to interrogate them," said CPJ Africa Advocacy Coordinator Mohamed Keita. "We call on Gabonese authorities to drop any case against these journalists."
Only two of the six journalists, Bitéghé and Essangui, reported to police, they told CPJ. During a three-hour interrogation on March 1, police demanded to know why Biteghe published a story on the allegations.
Essangui, an environmental activist as well as journalist, was questioned for 45 minutes on March 13 about posting online a Beninese newspaper's article about the allegations. Ndoutoume-Eyi and Mezui ignored the summons, they told CPJ. Two other editors, Ename and Menna, fled the country, fearing arrest, according to local journalists.
None of the journalists have been formally charged. However, if State Prosecutor Sidonie Flore Ouwe were to authorize charges such as criminal defamation or contempt to the Republic, convictions would carry prison terms, according to local journalists. – Committee to Protect Journalists
January 18, 2025: A CPJ report reveals that 361 journalists were jailed globally in 2024, with China, Israel, and Myanmar leading. The alarming trend highlights threats to press freedom and rising authoritarian repression worldwide.
January 05, 2025: Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post cartoonist Ann Telnaes resigns after her cartoon depicting media moguls, including Post owner Jeff Bezos, kneeling before Donald Trump was rejected, sparking debate about editorial independence and press freedom.
December 31, 2024: Aaron Brown, the renowned CNN anchor known for his 9/11 coverage and journalistic excellence, has passed away at 76. A tribute to his life and legacy.
November 01, 2024: Duong Van Thai, an independent Vietnamese blogger who went missing in Thailand, was sentenced to 12 years in prison on anti-state charges. CPJ condemns the harsh sentence, urging his immediate release and the Vietnamese state to end its crackdown on press freedom.
November 01, 2024: The tragic killing of journalist Patricia Ramírez Gonzalez marks the second journalist murdered within 24 hours in Colima, Mexico, spotlighting urgent concerns over press safety in President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration.
October 28, 2024: UNESCO's latest report highlights the misuse of financial laws to silence journalists, with findings showing a sharp rise in financial crime allegations against journalists globally. This growing trend poses serious threats to press freedom and media independence.
October 25, 2024: CPJ condemns an Israeli airstrike in south Lebanon that killed three journalists and injured others, calling for an independent investigation to determine whether the attack was a deliberate targeting of the press.
October 16, 2024: The BBC has announced plans to close its long-running interview show HARDtalk after 30 years. Host Stephen Sackur expresses disappointment, calling it a blow to independent journalism at a time when disinformation is rampant.
January 23, 2025 CPJ exposes Pakistan's dangerous deportation of Afghan journalists fleeing Taliban persecution, highlighting critical human rights violations and press freedom challenges. #JournalistSafety
January 23, 2025 Pakistan's PECA Amendment exposes a dangerous assault on press freedom, creating a repressive social media regulatory framework that threatens digital expression and criminalizes journalism. #MediaFreedom #PakistanLaw #DigitalRights #Censorship #JournalismUnderThreat
January 23, 2025 An in-depth look at the recent scuffle on a Pakistani talk show, its implications for media ethics, and the urgent need for TV channels to uphold decorum during debates.
January 22, 2025 PFUJ condemns the neglect of PTV pensioners who protested in Islamabad for unpaid dues and benefits. Union urges authorities to resolve issues without delay.
January 22, 2025 The PFUJ has condemned the new amendments to PECA 2016, describing them as unconstitutional and threatening press freedom. It warns of nationwide protests if the government doesn’t withdraw the bill.