August 5, 2005

H. E. Ibrahim Kamara, High Commissioner
High Commission for the Republic of Sierra Leone
1701 19th St NW,
Washington, D.C. 20009

Excellency,

I am writing on behalf of Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE), a non-profit, non-governmental organization that works to promote and protect press freedom and freedom of expression around the world.

CJFE is shocked and saddened by the death of journalist Harry Yansaneh on July 27, 2005 almost three months after he was attacked and badly beaten.

On May 10th, Yansaneh, acting editor of the newspaper For Di People, was assaulted by a group of attackers at his office. The attack left him swollen and bruised and he began to suffer from kidney trouble in the following weeks. An autopsy found that his death was the result of kidney failure. Before he died, Yansaneh alleged that his assailants were sent by Dr. Fatmata Hassan Komeh, a member of the ruling Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) who was reportedly trying to evict For Di People as well as five other independent newspapers from offices they had held for more than a decade. Police have yet to make any arrests.

For Di People has been a noted critic of the government and the SLPP. Its previous editor, Paul Kamara has been imprisoned since October 2004 for "seditious libel" over articles he printed about an 1967 inquiry linking President Ahmad Tejan Kabbeh to fraud allegations. Kamara is still in prison after he was denied bail pending his appeal on August 3, 2005.

CJFE is extremely concerned that the death of Harry Yansaneh and the harassment of members of the independent press indicates a marked decrease in free expression in Sierra Leone. CJFE calls on the government of Sierra Leone to bring Harry Yansaneh's attackers to justice and to do all in its power to ensure that journalists are able to carry out their work without fear of violence. We also believe that Paul Kamara is currently in jail for exercising his right to free expression, and call upon the government to immediately release him and to review the government's current legislation that makes libel a criminal rather than civil matter.

I look forward to receiving your prompt reply.

Yours truly,

Rod Macdonell
Executive Director

Case File Number: PL05-13

CC: Philippe Beaulne, High Commissioner to Sierra LeoneM
The Hon. Pierre Pettigrew, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs