The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists SLAJ has called for an end to the current State of Emergency saying the country’s democratic credentials “are being badly damaged by the selective implementation of the regulations”.
In his annual address marking World Press Freedom Day on 3 May, the SLAJ president, Kelvin Lewis said “The fundamental human rights of citizens to free expression, especially the right to hold a different opinion and demonstrate is being denied. This threatens peaceful coexistence and democratic inclusion."
Lewis said "We must admit that the democratic conditions under which we practice presently in Sierra Leone are fast deteriorating” adding that “even though a State of Emergency was imposed to deal with the Ebola outbreak…the exceptional powers granted the President under that regulation were first used to jail journalist David Tam Baryoh.” He warned that journalism “cannot thrive under such draconian constraints."
The call by the SLAJ president comes in the wake of the Human Rights Commission urging parliament to review the regulations saying were being “discriminatorily” implemented.
In a press release on 23rd April, the Commission called on "Parliament to review the State of Emergency with a view to reducing the limitations imposed under the emergency regulations following the significant reduction of new Ebola cases and the reopening of schools and other educational institutions."
The Executive Director of the Society for Democratic Initiatives, Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai said the emergency regulations were instituted to curb the spread of Ebola, "but if the numbers of cases have dwindled, it makes sense for government to remove it."
He wondered why some people were being stopped from protesting saying the "State of Emergency does not prohibit expression of opinion [and] protesting is a fundamental right of the people."
Abdulai said the press was relatively free but that "government has control over the media with 70 to 80 percent of media houses reporting what government wants."
Valnora Edwin of Campaign for Good Governance said she understood the point that Ebola was still having an impact on the country which made necessary to implement the health emergency. "But we share SLAJ’s view for it not to be used against press freedom."
On press freedom, Edwin said "the outlets are there for people to express their opinion, but they are cautious because of the way government is handling the situation. The political tension is intimidating the people."
She said using the emergency regulations to arrest certain members of the main opposition SLPP even though they were protesting peacefully while members of the ruling All People’s Congress were also doing the same thing "is a selective application of justice." She explained that CGG was not against the health emergency, but rather the way it was being applied.
Deputy Information Minister, Theo Nicol said "for now, government has enough evidence to show that Ebola is here, despite the fact that the numbers are reducing. At this moment, government does not intend to remove the State of Emergency." Nicol denied that government had used the health emergency to muzzle the press and "the government has never intimidated journalists."
© Politico 05/05/15
