Journalist's association condemn press clampdown

The Association of Liberian Journalists in the Americas, (ALJA), has condemned "the arbitrary closure of the News and the Monrovia Guardian newspapers and the detention of Wilson Tarpeh, chairman of the board of directors of The News". Tarpeh was released at weekend. In a statement issued on Wednesday, ALJA said the government's actions against The News was prompted by a lead story in the paper, quoting the recent report of the UN Panel of Experts that investigated Liberia's non-compliance with the UN sanctions imposed on the country. "On the day of Tarpeh's arrest, the paper had named several officials of government who, according to the UN report, had violated the UN restriction by secretly travelling out of Liberia to other African and European countries," it said. "From all indications, the closure of the newspapers without due process of law, and the detention of Mr Tarpeh amount to a violation of the Liberian constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and of the press, and also a violation of the personal freedom of Mr Tarpeh," it added. The two newspapers were shut down by security officers last Tuesday, the same day Tarpeh was arrested. The pro-state Radio Liberia International (RLI) quoted Assistant Finance Minister for Revenue, George Howe, as saying the decision was taken due to the failure of the two media houses to settle their tax obligations. The papers were still closed on Thursday.