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MRA Condemns Arrest of Journalists In
Benin City
LAGOS, MONDAY, MARCH 1, 1999: Media Rights
Agenda (MRA) condemns Friday’s arrest in Benin City of Prince Idu Akenzua,
General Manager of the Edo State-owned newspaper, The Observer, and
the Editor, Richard Amayo, by armed security operatives.
MRA is concerned that the Government and its security
agents have found it convenient to resort increasingly to strong-arm
tactics in dealing with journalists and the media despite recent promises
made by the Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, that his
administration will respect human rights generally as well as the right to
freedom of expression.
We see the increasing harassment and intimidation of
journalists and media workers in recent weeks as a breach of this promise
and Nigeria’s international and domestic obligations to respect and
protect press freedom of expression.
We see particularly concerned that this latest act of
harassment and intimidation has arisen from a story published by The
Observer newspaper about the on-going transition to civil rule
programme, and view this action as capable of seriously undermining the
ability of the Nigerian media to provide independent coverage for the
programme.
We call on the Federal Military Government to take urgent
steps to redress this unwholesome situation by putting an immediate end to
the harassment of journalists and media establishments and taking
disciplinary measures against the security agents who have been
responsible for these attacks on the media. It is only by so doing that
the Government can regain some measure of credibility about its professed
respect for press freedom and freedom of expression.
For further information, please contact:
Tive Denedo
Director of Campaigns
Media Rights Agenda
Tel & Fax: 01-4930831
E-mail:
mra@rcl.nig.com
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