In Guinea, security forces apprehended twelve journalists who were participating in a demonstration against alleged media censorship within the country, as reported by local media.
Among those detained during Monday’s protests was Sekou Jamal Pendessa, the secretary-general of the Union of Professionals of the Press of Guinea (SPPG), according to local sources.
The SPPG had organized a march in the capital city of Conakry, advocating for the authorities to lift restrictions imposed on the widely-read news website, Guineematin, and denouncing other encroachments on press freedom.
Guineematin has purportedly been inaccessible in Guinea for the past two months. The ruling junta of Guinea, which has prohibited protests since 2022, has not provided any official rationale for this blockade.
Abdouramane Diallo, an official of the SPPG, recounted, “The combined forces of police and gendarmerie employed tear gas against us.” He further stated that one journalist sustained minor injuries during the protests.
Subsequently, the detained journalists were taken to court on charges of participating in an unlawful assembly.
