Journalists hindered from covering opposition trial

Reporters sans frontieres (RSF) on Monday urged the president of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, to allow the independent press to cover freely and safely the trial of 144 opposition members accused of plotting against the government.

The trial began on 23 May 2002 in the capital, Malabo. The 144 detainees, including leaders of opposition parties, are accused of trying to kill the president, conspiracy and inciting to rebellion.

"Since the trial started independent journalists have faced insidious pressure on a daily basis," RSF Secretary-General Robert Menard said, adding that the authorities apparently wanted to prevent the non-state media from "disseminating information on this political trial".

RSF said that, according to information it had received, presidential guards and members of the security forces threatened independent journalists almost daily. RSF added that it was very difficult for them to find seats in the courtroom since the avaliable places were reserved primarily for journalists from the state press.

On 23 May, RSF wrote to Obiang Nguema to express its concern about the "constant degradation" of press freedom in Equatorial Guinea. On the previous day, the deputy information minister had announced his intention to require foreign correspondents to be officially accredited by his ministry. The accreditation, he had said, would be temporary, compulsory and renewable on a case-by-case basis.