RSF calls for release of journalist

The media watchdog, Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) called for the release of Wilson Tarpeh, chairman of the board of directors of the Liberian daily, The News, as well as the reopening of the paper and of another daily, the Monrovia Guardian. "These newspapers are trying to survive and they cannot pay their taxes to the government. The authorities know it and we fear it is a pretext to shut down two independent and very critical newspapers," Robert Menard, secretary general of RSF said in a statement issued on Thursday. According to RSF, policemen entered the premises of the private daily The News on Tuesday. "The men had no writ but ordered the members of the newspaper to leave." An officer explained to one of editors that the measure was linked to unpaid taxes, RSF said. It added that Tarpeh was arrested by police on the same day. The pro-state Radio Liberia International (RLI) quoted Assistant Finance Minister for Revenue, George Howe, as saying on Tuesday that the decision was taken due to the failure of the two media houses to settle their tax obligations. He said the two papers would remain closed pending the full settlement of their tax arrears. Under the new revenue code of Liberia, all business houses are liable to file an income tax return on a semi-annual basis, he added. RSF noted that in January this year four journalists of The News were arrested and held for a few hours after criticising the government for misappropriation of public funds.