By: Mohamed Sahr
In the bid of protecting journalists and preserving freedom of expression and the press, the Media Reform Coordinating Group (MRCG) in a press statement launched its Media Freedom Review for July on Monday 8th August 2022.
Francis Sowa, the National Coordinator of the Media Reform Coordinating Group commended the Ministry of Defense and Parliament of the Republic of Sierra Leone for their proactive actions taken in investigating the alleged assaults on a journalist of VOPAD Radio and Gbla TV respectively. He said MRCG recognized the firm intervention of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) into the alleged assaults of the two journalists. ‘’The steps taken by the above institutions are indicative of the fact that the culture of impunity is no longer tolerated in a democratic society like Sierra Leone where the rule of law prevails.’’ Francis Sowa said.
He revealed that in a case regarding a Member of Parliament of Constituency 121 and a journalist of Gbla TV; which took place on 28th June 2022, SLAJ met with the Clark of Parliament of the Republic of Sierra Leone to bring a formidable strategy in putting an end to the alleged physical assault case.
Francis Sowa said the Media Reform Coordinating Group in collaboration with the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists had dealt with loads of issues of allegations of physical assault, assassination attempts and arrests of journalists across the country within the previous months. He disclosed that they had made tremendous reconciliation between journalists and government stakeholders as a way of heeding the dockets of the constitution of the country, especially in terms of freedom of expression and the press.
Ahmed Sahid Nasrella, the President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists said SLAJ frowned against the act of the officers of the Republic of Sierra Leone Arm Force (RSLAF) for assaulting one of their members. He urged the Sierra Leone Police and RSLAF to investigate the incident and take stringent actions against the perpetrators. “The action of those soldiers is unacceptable in a democracy. An attack on any journalist is an attack on press freedom. I, therefore, urge personnel of the RSLAF to respect the MOU we have with the security sector to protect and support one another’s role in our democracy,” Ahmed Sahid Nasralla affirmed.