APA- Conakry (Guinea) Guinean press associations are demanding the “immediate and unconditional” release of their arrested colleagues.
By Aboubacar Siddy Diallo
The Guinean journalism fraternity had a hard day on Monday 16 October. Fourteen journalists were arrested in Conakry while taking part in a peaceful march with others against restrictions on the Guinean media, which has a strong following among internet users.
They were acting in solidarity with their colleagues at Guinéematin, an online news site that has been censored for several weeks by the junta.
Organised by the Union of Guinea media professionals (SPPG) in the town of Kaloum, in the centre of the Guinean capital, the march, which had not been banned by the prefecture, was dispersed as soon as it began.
Police and gendarmerie officers used tear gas to disperse the SPPG demonstration before arresting around fourteen journalists, who were taken to the Kaloum central police station.
Although they were expected to be released, after being held for several hours they were brought before the prosecutor of the Kaloum Court of First Instance.
In a statement, Guinea’s private press associations condemned this gratuitous violence against journalists.
They called for their immediate and unconditional release. In addition to a delegation from the National Confederation of Guinean Workers (CNTG) and two lawyers monitoring the case, a statement from the SPPG is expected later.
The union has already said that the online news site Guinéematin is being “illegally and unfairly blocked” by Ousmane Gaoual, the Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and the Digital Economy.
He was appointed by Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, the head of the military junta that took power in Guinea following the overthrew of President Alpha Condé in September 2021.
However, the minister, who has been questioned on the matter in recent days, has always denied the allegations.
ASD/odl/te/lb/as/APA