Activist indicted for treason

Human rights activist Aloysius Toe was on Monday charged with treason at Liberia's Montserado County Criminal Court A and presiding judge failed to grant him bail saying his charge was not bailable. The defence lawyers had filed a motion asking for Toe to be granted bail arguing that "the charge against the defendant was not proved and presumption not great", The News newspaper said on Wednesday. The prosecutors for their part resisted the motion to substantiate the treason charge. Toe is also the executive director of the Movement for the Defenders of Human Rights. Toe's charge notes that he contravened Article 76 of the country's constitution of January 6, 1986. It quoted the constitution as saying that treason against the Republic was committed when an individual abrogates or attempts to abrogate, subvert or attempts or conspires to subvert the constitution by use of force or show of force or by any other means which attempts to undermine the constitution. "The defendant thereby with criminal intent, feloniously, knowingly and unpatriotically commit the crime of treason, contrary to the form, force and effect of the statutory laws of Liberia against the peace and dignity," the charge said. Welcoming the release of journalist cum human rights activist, Hassan Bility on 10 December, Amnesty International said in a statement that Bility's release should pave the way for the release of other rights activists who have been arrested in Liberia since the beginning of the year. It said Toe and Sheikh Sackor of the Humanist Watch and others have been held solely because of their criticism of the government and condemnation of human rights situation in the country.