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Mali: Social Media Blackout

Vivian Affoah
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There has been a suspected social media shutdown in Mali since August 17, 2016.

Reports say citizens are unable to access social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, while WhatsApp and Viber users are experiencing intermittent disruptions.

The social media blackout coincides with a turbulent day in the capital Bamako where a misinformation on social media resulted in a clash between the police and a mob protesting the arrest and “planned prosecution” of a popular journalist Mohamed Bathily.

Reports say supporters of the detained radio presenter, Mohamed Bathily, used social media to mobilise for an invasion of the premises of a Magistrate’s Court in Commune 1 of Bamako where the journalist’s case was lodged.

The MFWA’s correspondent in Mali reported that after the clash between the protesters and the police, gory images of the violent clash which were splashed on social media reportedly fuelled public anger over the police brutalities. Hours later, citizens started complaining about having difficulties accessing the social media sites.

However, the government has denied shutting down or interfering with social media as a counter measure.

According to the MFWA’s correspondent, after a prolonged silence on the matter, the government in an official statement on August 18, denied shutting down or interfering with the social media sites. The Ministry of Communication said the disruption could be due to a technical problem.

The telecommunication regulatory body, Agence Malienne de Régulation des Télécommunications et des Postes (AMRTP), has also denied being involved in the suspected shutdown.

A spokesperson for the army, Modibo Naman Traoré, also told Jeune Afrique magazine that the national security outfit, Direction Générale de la Sécurité d’État (DGSE), have neither ordered nor recommended the shutdown.

Meanwhile, Bathily has been released from detention following the intervention of some influential religious leaders.

The MFWA is deeply concerned with the situation in Mali. We call on the authorities to establish the cause of the seeming shutdown and ensure that access to social media is restored for citizens to enjoy their freedom of expression and digital rights.

Mali: One Dead, Several Others Injured for Protesting Arrest of Radio Presenter

Vivian Affoah
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One person is reported dead and several others injured after supporters of a popular radio presenter and blogger clashed with police at a court premises in Bamako, Mali on August 17, 2016.

The radio presenter, Mohammed Bathily, popularly called Ras Bath, was arrested late in the night of August 16, for criticising a popurlar preacher, Bandiougou Doumbia Nourredine.

Bathily reportedly made some uncomplimentary comments about Nourredine, on the August 16, edition of his programme, “Cartes sur Table” (All cards on the Table).

According to MFWA’s correspondent, Bathily’s outbursts were actually in response to a recent attack on him and his programme by Nourredine. The preacher had accused the journalist of using his programme to denigrate elders and leaders in the society.

Bathily was reportedly arrested hours after his programme on the orders of the Prosecutor of the Commune 4 Court in Bamako and has been in custody of the Camp 1 Gendarmerie, also in Bamako.

Following false information on social media about Bathily’s appearance in court on August 17, his supporters went to the premises. A misunderstanding then ensued between the supporters and the police leading to the death of one person and injuries to several others.

The MFWA appeals to the police in Mali to investigate the incident. We also urge the police to release Bathily and ensure an amicable settlement of the matter between him and Bandiougou Doumbia Nourredine to prevent the issue from escalating.

Ghana Internet Governance Forum 2016

Vivian Affoah
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Ghana Internet Governance Forum 2016

The 2016 Ghana Internet Governance Forum (IGF) comes off on Thursday, 18 August 2016 at the Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in IT under the theme, Building a StrongMulti-Stakeholder Model for a Sustainable Development of the Internet in Ghana

The event, which is being jointly convened by the Ministry of Communication and the Internet Society in Ghana, will be opened by Hon. Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, Minister of Communications.

The Forum will discuss key issues on Internet governance in Ghana, such as cyber security, affordable access, critical internet infrastructure, data protection and openness, child safety and many other topical issues on global IGF scenes, which are also relevant to Ghana.

Speaking on the importance of this year’s forum, Mr. Eric Akumiah, coordinator IGF, Ghana said, “this year we want to focus on the model that will help us create awareness on Internet government issues and sustain the discussions into the future.”

Internet Governance forums seek to bring stakeholders together to meet and share experience on what they have been doing and collaborate where the need arises to develop the Internet.

A West Africa and Africa regional IGFs are held annually to discuss cross-border issues on the Internet. Ghana’s position on key issues from the Ghana IGF will be articulated at Global IGF which will be held in Guadalajara, Mexico from 6-9 December 2016.

Kindly see below links for the remote participation in the Ghana IGF
Remote Link: Channel 1 IGF webEx
Event number: 950 145 478
Event password: YfCJRAhX
Panelist password: The Event has no Panelist Password
Event address for attendees: https://intgovforum.webex.com/intgovforum/onstage/g.php?MTID=e9594cac8c821fb75417b8b9d931e6496

Remote Link: Channel 2 Youtube
Ghana IGF 2016 (Auditorium)
Remote link Channel 3 Youtube
Ghana IGF 2016(Conference Room)

About Ghana IGF

Ghana IGF is a forum that seeks to bring all stakeholders of the Internet including users, network operators, lawyers, and software developers etc., to discuss governance issues around the Internet in Ghana. The 2016 Ghana IGF is being held in the light of massive infrastructure developments over the last few year and issues of security online. For more information about the meeting, please visit the forum website http://Ghanaigf.org

For further information, & RSVP, please contact: Vera Doku (0244627994) Media Liaison
Ghana IGF Planning Committee

Abusive Language on Radio in July: NPP Recaptures Top Spot

Vivian Affoah
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Abusive Language on Radio in July: NPP Recaptures Top Spot

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has released its latest language monitoring report covering the month of July. During the month, a total of 44 indecent expressions were recorded on a total of 1,474 radio programmes monitored on 60 radio stations across the country.

Officials, supporters and members of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) made a total of 17 indecent expressions followed by officials, supporters and affiliates of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) who made a total of 7 indecent expressions.

Overall, Hopeson Adorye, a member of the NPP communication team, and Listowell Nana Kusi Poku of a group called National Labour Party (NLP) topped the list of individuals who made indecent expressions during the month of July. Each of them made five (5) indecent expressions

As far as radio stations are concerned, Accra-based Happy FM and Montie FM topped the pack of stations that recorded the use of abusive expressions on their platforms with 7 incidents each out of the 44 incidents recorded; followed by Zaa Radio and Okay FM with 4 incidents each.

The MFWA language monitoring project is aimed at encouraging people to be measured in their use of language by naming and shaming those who use abusive expressions on radio. The project titled, Promoting Issues-based and Decent Language Campaigning for a Peaceful, Free and Fair Elections in Ghana in 2016 is being carried out with funding support from OSIWA, STAR-Ghana, the EU (through Socioserve-Ghana) and the Embassy of France in Ghana.

The full report with other details on other individuals who used indecent expressions and the radio stations that recorded these incidents can be found here.

For more information, contact Abigail Larbi Odei on 0244867047 or Dora B. Mawutor on 0246740358.

 

Benin: Armed Policemen Raid Newspaper Office

Vivian Affoah
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 On August 11, 2016, about ten armed police officers in Benin raided the premises of the L’Audace Info newspaper on grounds of summoning the director of publications, Romauld Alingo.

Narrating the incident to the MFWA’s correspondent in Benin, Alingo said he received a phone-call from a neighbor that about 10 armed policemen had gone to his office to look for him but had met no one in the office. Soon after his neighbour’s call he received a phone-call from the police asking about his whereabouts.

“When they arrived at the office, they did not find anyone so they called me,” Alingo said. “I told them that I was not a criminal for security forces to raid my place of work and if they wanted to summon me, they should do so by providing an official summons.”

According Alingo the policemen accused him of publishing defamatory articles in the L’Audace Info newspaper about a university group, CERCO. The police also accused him of sharing the same articles on social media platform, WhatsApp.

Meanwhile the state-mandated regulator of audiovisuals and communication in Benin, the Haute Autorité de l’Audiovisuel et de la Communication, and a network of professional journalists, the Union des Professionnels des Medias du Benin, are said to be resolving the issue.

 

Guinea: Police Bar Media from Court, Brutalise Reporter

Vivian Affoah
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Anti-riot police on duty at a court in Conakry have beaten up a journalist and destroyed his equipment.

The high-profile trial of a leading opposition figure, Ousmane Gaoual Diallo at the Court of first instance at Dixinn, a plush district in Conakry, attracted huge media interest. However, the press  arrived at the premises on August 11, 2016, only to realise that the authorities had decided to ban them from covering the hearing. A contingent of anti-riot police had also been deployed to maintain order.

The MFWA correspondent reported that one of the senior journalists, Mohamed Valek Touré, a reporter for Espace TV, approached the police to broker a compromise. Touré is said to have told the police that Guinean law states that court hearings are public events, and pleaded that the press be admitted into the courtroom even if without their cameras, recorders and microphones. However, some of the police officers took offense and started assaulting him.

The police allegedly attacked Touré with their fists and batons, subjecting him to further humiliation by shoving him onto the ground. His camera was damaged in the process. The police also detained Touré briefly before releasing him.

A fellow journalist who witnessed the scene, Bangaly Camara of the Evasion media group, told MFWA’s correspondent “the police demonstrated unbelievable brutality and violence towards the Espace TV reporter.”

The MFWA is worried about the continued attacks on journalists in Guinea by a section of the police and the Gendarmerie. While calling on the Guinea Police Force to punish the officers involved in the attack on Touré, we urge the Guinea Police Force and the Gendarmerie to train their officers to respect the work of journalists and work collaboratively with them.

Liberia: Radio Station Shut Down

Vivian Affoah
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The government of Liberia has shut down privately-owned Radio LIB24.

The MFWA’s partner organisation in Liberia Center for Media Studies and PeaceBuilding (CEMESP) reported that on August 13, 2016, officers of the Police Support Unit  and the National Security Agency of Liberia were seen barricading the premises of the radio station. The security officers were said to be accompanying court officers who were to effect the shutdown.

According to CEMESP, the shutting down of Radio LIB24, barely 24 hours after the broadcast of  the popular “Costa Show” on the radio station.

In its August 12, 2016 edition, the show gave an analysis on the Global Witness corruption report on Liberia in which President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was accused of receiving USD $250,000 from an indicted senator, one Varney Sherman.

“The Costa Show,”  was  originally broadcast on Voice FM,  but was moved to Radio LIB24 after  the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) shut down Voice FM.  According to CEMESP, many believed the radio station was  shut down because it was critical of the government.  The LTA has however denied this and said  the station had been operating without a permit.

Ghana: Sports Journalists Attacked by Football Fans

Vivian Affoah
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Two journalists from Jem FM, a privately-owned radio station in the Ashanti Region of Ghana were attacked by angry fans during a Ghana Premier League match on August 7, 2016.

Narrating the incident to the MFWA, Godfrey Sarpong, Director of Sports at Jem FM said the two journalists were Gomes Pageh and Emmanuel Opoku Tinkering were running a live commentary on the match between two local teams Kotoko and Dreams FC when the incident happened.

According to Sarpong, while running the commentary Pageh described a penalty awarded to Kotoko as “dubious.”

“Immediately after that comment, about six home fans came at him so he turned the phone to his colleague to continue with the commentary,” Sarpong narrated.

The fans reportedly subjected Pageh to a series of kicks, punches and slaps. He added that the mob subsequently turned on Emmanuel Opoku Tinkorang who tried to flee but slipped and fell heavily, resulting in a fractured ankle. Tinkorang was consequently rushed to the medical facility in the stadium. Both journalists had to go to the hospital the following day for further checks.

Sarpong condemned the attack on the journalists as “shameful and one that should not be repeated” but praised the leadership of Kotoko for their reaction to the incident. He revealed that the National Chairman of the club’s supporters union, Kweku Amponsah, went to the radio station on August 10, to present a letter of apology. He said the Communications Manager of Kotoko also issued a press statement condemning the attack on the journalists by their fans.

Mauritania: Authorities ban Media from Covering Arab League Summit

Vivian Affoah
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The authorities in Mauritania barred about twelve journalists from covering the 27th Arab League Summit held in the country on July 25, 2016.

According to news reports even though the journalists had been accredited to attend the event, the authorities restrained them from entering the tent that was set up to host the summit.

The reports say “the main target of the ban was the Sahara Media Group” which is, often accused by the Mauritanian authorities of pursuing Moroccan interests, especially on the issue of Western Sahara. Western Sahara was annexed by Morocco in 1975, but Morocco’s claim to the territory has not been recognised by the international community.

Reports say the accreditation of the news agency Al Akhbar was also withdrawn without explanation. Journalists from the newspaper Le Calame, and website cridem.org were among media professionals who were denied access to the interior of the tent that hosted the Summit.

Ghana UPDATE: Supreme Court Jails Radio Presenter, Panelists for 4 months

Vivian Affoah
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Ghana UPDATE: Supreme Court Jails Radio Presenter, Panelists for 4 months

The Supreme Court of Ghana has sentenced the presenter of a political programme on Accra-based Montie FM, together with two of his panelists, to four months imprisonment each for contempt.

In the ruling delivered on July 27, 2016, the court also imposed a fine of Gh¢10,000 each (about US$ 2516 ) on the presenter,  Salifu Maase, alias Mugabe, and his panelists Alistair Nelson and Godwin Ako Gunn for threatening to kill judges of the Supreme Court of Ghana.

If the three fail to pay the fine by July 28, they risk another one-month prison term, according to the court.

Ato Ahwoi, Edward Addo and Kwesi Kyei, three directors of Network Broadcasting Limited and Zeze Media which own and run Montie FM, were also ordered to pay a fine of Gh¢ 30,000  (about US$  7,574 ) by July 28. A Vice Chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress  (NDC) party who is the owner of the frequency on which the station operates, Harry Zakkour, was also fined Gh¢ 30,000 (about US$ 7,547).

The directors were further ordered to furnish the court with policies they would put in place to ensure that such offensive comments are not repeated on their network.

The sentence of the radio presenter, panelists and directors was as a result of remarks by Alistair Nelson and Godwin Ako Gunn Nelson, who are activists of the ruling (NDC) party. The two warned on the June 29, edition of the “Pampaso” programme – which is presented by Salifu Maase – that the Supreme Court judges handling a case about Ghana’s electoral register would be killed if they gave the “wrong judgment.”

On July 12, 2016, the three appeared before the Supreme Court, together with one of the directors and were cited for inciting hatred against, and threatening to kill justices of the Supreme Court.

On July 18, the court presided over by Sophia Akuffo, found the contemnors guilty for “scandalizing the court, defying and lowering the authority of the court and bringing it into disrepute.” They were subsequently sentenced on July 27.

The MFWA is deeply concerned about and regrets the turn of events, and calls on journalists and media organisations to display the highest standards of professionalism. The need to be professional and responsible on the airwaves is critical especially as Ghana’s general elections draw closer.

Ghana: Reporter Beaten and Detained by Police

Vivian Affoah
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Police officers at the Gomoa Ojobi district in the Central Region of Ghana beat and detained Seth Kofi Adjei, a correspondent of Adom FM and TV.

The incident occured on July 22, 2016 when Adjei went to the town to cover a news conference by the chief in the town.

Narrating his ordeal on Adom News Friday, Kofi Adjei said he had set out of the chief’s palace to take a camera shot of the town for Adom TV news when a Police Constable called Daniel Agbe approached him and queried him.

The police officer reportedly claimed the reporter had taken a shot of the police station; an allegation Adjei denied.

But Sergeant Agbe ignored his plea and with the help of his two colleagues, whose names were only given as BI Gyimah and Jake Adu subjected the Adjei to severe beatings.

Agbe reportedly used a key to scratch the journalist’s hand and slapped him while accusing him of filming the police station without their consent.

The officers after beating Adjei detained him for several hours until the chief of Gomoa Ojobi pleaded on his behalf.

 

Abusive Language on Radio in June: NDC Topples NPP, Mugabe Maase Most Abusive

Vivian Affoah
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Abusive Language on Radio in June: NDC Topples NPP, Mugabe Maase Most Abusive

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has released its latest language monitoring report covering the month of June. During the month, a total of 129 incidents of indecent expressions were recorded on a total of 2,348 radio programmes monitored on 50 radio stations across the country.

During the period, officials, supporters and members of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) made a total of 49 indecent expressions, followed by officials, supporters and affiliates of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) who made a total of 27 indecent expressions.

Overall, embattled radio presenter and supporter of the NDC, Salifu Maase, alias Mugabe Maase, topped the list of individuals who made indecent expressions during the month of June. He was cited for 27 incidents of indecent expressions on his radio programme, Pampaso on Montie FM.

Other top abusive language users during the period were Alistair Nelson with 13 incidents and Mr. Kennedy Agyapong, the Member of Parliament for Assin-North constituency with 8 incidents.

As far as radio stations are concerned, Montie FM topped the pack with 43 out of the 129 incidents followed by Oman FM with 18 incidents and Radio Gold with 16 incidents.

The full report with details on other individuals who used indecent expressions and the radio stations that recorded these incidents can be found here.

For more information, contact Abigail Larbi on 0244867047 or Dora B. Mawutor on 0246740358.

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