RSF decries “a clear desire to silence critics” in Liberia

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns an attack on Monrovia-based Joy FM, which was the third attack in the past few weeks on a privately-owned radio station critical of Liberian President George Weah. “Unknown men came and since they had no way of entering the building (...) they just went to our tower and cut the cable that runs from the antenna on the tower to the transmitter,” Joy FM general manager Emmanuel Dahn said.

Dahn said the attack took place on Tuesday at around 2 a.m., while the station was broadcasting its regular late-night show. Joy FM could be off the air for some time because severing the cable had an impact of the transmitter and the main cable was cut in several places, he added.

“This third attack on a privately-owned radio station in the space of a month proves that there is a clear desire to silence critical media outlets and restrict the freedom to inform,” said Assane Diagne, the head of RSF’s West Africa office.

“We call on the Liberian government to ensure that journalists are safe and to conduct a swift and impartial investigation into these attacks in order to arrest and prosecute those responsible.”

The two previous attacks were on Roots FM, another station hostile to the current government.

Liberia is ranked 89th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2018  World Press Freedom Index.