Breaking News:Arrest against African journalists continue!

By Alhagie Mbye, London Bureau Chief

It has also been brought to the attention of the journalists in the United Kingdom that three media practitioners have been jailed in the West African state of Niger. One of the victims of government harassment is Salif Dago, editor in chief of L’Enqueteur, who was sentence six months in prison and fined £100 ‘for propagation of false news’. Earlier the respected journalist wrote a story that a man had sacrificed a baby in a cemetery in order to become rich. Such sacrifices are said to be a practice by some people in that country.

Two others Maman Abou and Oumarou Keita well known editor and editor in chief of the independent weekly Le Republicain were sentenced to a year’s imprisonment ‘for dissemination of false news and slandering the Prime Minister’. The article concerned was a thorough analysis of Prime Minister Hama Aamadou’s foreign policy.

Another private newspaper called L’Opinion has been banned following an article considered to be defamatory and injurious to the Head of State and his family.

However may had expressed dissatisfaction over how the media is been treated by African dictators while some congratulated Senegalese President Wade for his remarkable and unprecedented donation to the Senegalese press.

During his time in power, Prime Minister Tony Blair’s office had promised to help support journalists operating around the world, however many including Africans and African descendants in the media have expressed doubt over the continent’s willingness to embrace press freedom.

Shaun James a journalist and university student told Freedom Newspaper: ‘I really wonder how Africa can ever develop under such shameful circumstances of state sanction destruction of its media.’

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