President George M. Weah’s outburst against BBC Liberia correspondent Jonathan Paye-Layleh, accusing him of undercutting his (President Weah’s) struggle for human rights in Liberia undermines his promise to protect freedom of the press and expression, the Press Union of Liberia has said.
In a press statement over the weekend, the PUL said nn Thursday March 22, during a press stakeout with visiting Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations Ms. Amina J. Mohammed, President Weah accused journalist Paye-Layleh of being against him and his work for human rights in Liberia.
The PUL sees the President’s comments as one that endangers the life of journalist Paye-Layleh considering Weah’s popularity. Weah won Liberia’s election by more than 61 per cent of the total vote cast in the 2017 elections.
PUL welcomes the President’s pronounced support for the implementation of the Table Mountain Declaration, and promised to uphold free expression and freedom of the press as clearly articulated in his inaugural address.
“This was only made possible by the tolerance of my predecessor, Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who protected the right to Freedom of Speech as enshrined in our Constitution. Now, in my turn, I will go further to encourage and reinforce not only freedom of speech, but also freedom of political assembly.”
But, such unprovoked slam on journalist Paye-Layleh caps the recent show of intolerance that has developed in his administration as maturing.
Mr. Paye-Layleh’s security is at stick given that the President’s supporters of mainly young people are passionate about his utterances and almost certainly act on them. Such presidential action indirectly sanctions attacks on the person of the journalist in the form of motor accidents, armed robberies and food poisoning.
The PUL insists that the legitimate fear growing out of the President’s comments could force the journalist into self-censorship.
As first major response to this high level threat against a top Liberian journalist, the Press Union of Liberia is seeking detail explanation from President George M. Weah on a matter which threatens the Journalism Community in Liberia and demotes the country’s standing in democratic governance.
Meanwhile, the Union is urging all media institutions to take safety of their journalists as high managerial priority and conduct regular in house safety trainings going forward as official tolerance of the media in Liberia is increasingly becoming volatile.
Moreover, the Press Union of Liberia condemns a reported armed robbery incident on the home of Journalist Moses Carter. In this regard, the Union is calling on the Liberia National Police to speedily investigate and make findings public on the armed intrusion on the home of the journalist.
Carter works for President George M. Weah’s Kings FM.
Mr. Cater has informed the Press Union that seven well-armed men with pistol, single-barrel and AK-47 guns broke into his home on the night of March 23, 2018, while he was out, beating his wife and making away with valuables, according to the PUL statement.