IFJ Urges End to Threats against Journalists in Guinea Bissau

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today urged the authorities in Guinea Bissau to put an end to the threats and intimidations on journalists who have been targeted in relation to their work since the tragic events of the double assassination of the president of the republic and the army chief of staff on March 1st, 2009.

 

“We denounce these threats and intimidations which is an attempt to silence them from reporting on the tragic assassinations of President Nino Vieira and the Army Chief of Staff,  Tagme Na Waie. That is against the principle of press freedom” declared Gabriel Baglo, Director of the IFJ Africa Office.

 

Since the assassinations at the beginning of March, several Guinean Bissau journalists, particularly those of the private press were the subject of threats from soldiers and some anonymous people, aimed at preventing from reporting on these events. The majority of these journalists are in great fear for their safety.

 

The IFJ calls on the Guinean Bissau authorities to take suitable measures to guarantee the safety of journalists who report on these events and to ensure that they continue to exercise their right of informing the citizenry without any hindrance.

 

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The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 123 countries worldwide