The Guild of Newspaper Editors – Sierra Leone has strongly condemned the violent assault on Prince Christopher Kamara, Editor of Open Space Newspaper, by multiple staff members of the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) on Tuesday, 6th May 2025. Mr. Kamara had been at the SLBC premises to verify reports of a staff strike when he was identified by some employees as the author of a critical article. He was then attacked by over a dozen individuals, sustaining a head injury before being forcibly removed from the compound.
This assault represents a gross violation of journalistic freedom and a clear breach of Mr. Kamara’s constitutional and legal rights. The Guild views the attack as a dangerous precedent that threatens both freedom of expression and the safety of journalists in Sierra Leone.
The Chairman of the Guild, Thomas Josephus Dixon, expressed his concern: “The media, which is always probing and offering opinions, should be more tolerant when the spotlight is turned on itself. Media gangsterism must not be encouraged.”
He continued, “We are trained to use our pens and microphones intelligently. Let us reject media gangsterism.”
The Guild calls on all media institutions to uphold the rule of law, professionalism, and tolerance, even in the face of criticism. We stand in solidarity with Mr. Kamara and reaffirm our commitment to defending the rights, dignity, and safety of all media professionals in Sierra Leone.
Furthermore, the Guild urges the SLBC leadership to launch a thorough and impartial investigation and hold all perpetrators accountable for this reprehensible act.