The Worldwide Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns, within the strongest phrases doable, this act of intimidation, harassment and violation of the elemental proper towards the President of one in every of its associates and reminds the Guinea Bissau’s Authorities of journalists’ basic proper to hunt, obtain and impart data.
India Correira was a part of a bunch of journalists who went to cowl the supply of a chilly chain product bought by the Africa Centres for Illness Management (CDC) for the Authorities of Bissau.
Instantly after the preliminary briefing, Guinea Bissau’s Minister for Well being, Maria Inacia Co’ Mendes Sanha, left the ceremony in protest on the presence of Indira Correira. “We have been within the room with out realizing what was occurring. The previous Director of the West African Organisation for Well being, Placido Cardoso, known as me and requested if we may speak outdoors,” the journalist informed the IFJ. Placido knowledgeable Indira Coreira that Minister Mendes Sanha stated that she had directions from ‘above’ that she mustn’t cowl any authorities exercise. “I demand why, and ask: why ought to my proper as a journalist be jeopardised? I ultimately went again to the corridor, picked up my bag and left.”
IFJ Normal Secretary Anthony Bellanger stated: “The current assaults on the media and journalists in Guinea Bissau is alarming and might solely be seen as an try and stifle press freedom and silence the media, stopping it from executing its duties within the public curiosity. Denying the SINJOTECS President, Indira Correia Balde, the suitable to cowl a public ceremony below the orders of the President of the Republic is a flagrant violation of her proper to hunt, obtain and impart data. We expressly ask the Authorities of Umaru Sissoco Embalo to cease intimidating the press, respect basic press freedom ideas and let journalists do their job freely.”
The IFJ has expressed deep considerations on the Authorities of Guinea Bissau’s systematic sample of repression of the media, together with brutal assaults towards Capital FM journalist Djuma Culubali and Radio Widespread journalist Ngouisam Casimiro Monteiro on 31 July carried out by the Fast Intervention Law enforcement officials whereas masking a lecturers’ protest vigil on the Ministry of Training.
For extra Info, please contact the IFJ – Africa Workplace
1st Ground, Maison de la Presse, 5 Rue X Corniche, Medina,
BP 64257, Dakar, Senegal
Tel: +221- 33 867 95 86/87; Fax: +221- 33 827 02
