Monrovia – The Liberia Law Society (The Law Society) says it is concern about early signs of intolerance and creeping intimidation of the press and free speech in Liberia.
According to recent developments as narrated by the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), The FrontPage Africa Newspaper and its Editor, Mr. Rodney Sieh and Journalist Jonathan Paylayleh have been subjected to a wave of threats and intimidation in the exercise of their journalistic responsibilities. The alleged murder of Journalist Tyron Brown of Super FM has even raised more suspicion.
These recent actions against journalists in Liberia bear resemblance to an attempt to commence a campaign of intolerance on issues of free speech and the independent media.
In 2013 while President Weah was an opposition leader he witnessed the imprisonment of Journalist Rodney Sieh and visited him in solidarity with his arrest and detention in a 1.5 million Dollar libel lawsuit by a Former Cabinet Minister and private citizen, Chris Toe. In this case, he and members of his party decried government’s assault on private citizens. He and his party understood that an attempt to silence or diminish the space for the exercise of freedoms would be considered reprehensible.
Ironically, in less than 90 days of his administration, he now presides over a government, which witness a similar libel lawsuit from a “private citizen” and ranking member of his party, which led to the temporary closure of the FrontPage Africa Newspaper. The “private lawsuit” follows an avalanche of attacks from executives and public officials of the current government. The Minister of Information later accused the paper of being anti-government.
In another case, Journalist Jonathan Payeleleh, suffered public rebuke from President Weah and was later publicly accused by the Minister of Information of being an NPFL Spokesman. These developments and characterization were all intended to smear the integrity of the journalists and subject them to public and incalculable consequences from would-be party zealots and operatives.
The Law Society represented Mr. Sieh in 2013 in his previous case with Chris Toe and is on record of admonishing that the Measure of Freedom exercised in Liberia was not achieved through the benevolence and/or goodwill of any government. It was achieved by the sweat, blood and tears of those who believe in justice and freedom. The pen will consistently be an indicator of the environment in which justice and freedom thrives.
It behooves all good governments to be a defender of the freedom and liberties of all of its citizens by upholding the constitution and defending respect for the rule of law.
The Law Society has worked with the Government, the Press Union of Liberia and other partners to ensure the passage of laws to create the enabling environment for freedom of the press. Those bills are currently before the National Legislature. LLS is therefore willing to work with the Current Liberian Government in a similar manner to ensure that the enactment of these laws proceed without delay in order to provide civic space for all Liberians including the media and opponents of the Government.
The Law Society therefore called on the Government of Liberia and President Weah to publicly reassure all of its citizens that basic human rights and fundamental freedoms are guaranteed and protected and called on executives and officials of government to develop a more harmonious relationship with the media and stop all acts of intimidation. The Law Society also called the government to publicly support and accelerate the passage of laws intended to decriminalize free speech and libel in Liberia
Establish a time-table to repeal and/or amend all laws that decriminalizes free speech, other restrictive laws such as the civil libel law, consistent with universal principles and norms.
Ensure the full reform of the legal framework to ensure the exercise of freedom of speech and the Press
Speedily investigate and bring the alleged perpetrators of journalist Tyron Brown’s death to justice.
The Liberia Law Society asserts that we might not agree with what others might say, how they say it, but we must “defend to death” their right to say it. The Law Society is of the opinion that the diversity of narratives within our politics strengthens our democratic project. To prevent others from transmitting their ideas and speech undermine our democratic ethos and thus must be resisted with the contempt it deserves.