Sierra Leone Telegraph: 11 January 2025:
Sierra Leone’s parliament has once again shown its true despotic and authoritarian colour, by barring a local journalist from ever entering the precinct of parliament.
Journalist Melvin Tejan Mansaray was this week banned by the Speaker of parliament – Segepoh Solomon Thomas, for what the Speaker described in his statement as “criticism of decisions taken by parliament.”
Despite the intervention of one MP calling for Speaker Segepoh Thomas (Photo) to instead refer the matter to the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) and the country’s Independent Media Commission (IMC) for investigation and possible action, the Speaker insisted that his decision to ban Melvin Tejan Mansaray must stand to serve as a warning to other journalists that are criticising the decisions of Sierra Leone’s parliament.
Sierra Leone is no longer a liberal democratic nation but one run by cowboys.
What is truly worrying about the direction Sierra Leone is heading is that, while its good to see many young men and women being placed in high office to help govern the one-time failed state, it is seriously disappointing to see many of these appointees behaving like the North Korean leader – Kim Jong Un.
The Speaker, whom many in and outside the country say is a disgrace to the office of Speaker of Parliament, ruled that any citizen that disargees with the decisions of parliament must go to the Supreme Court instead of taking to the media.
Human Rights commentators say that this “unconstitutional action” by the Speaker of Parliament, shows the depth to which the country’s democracy has sunk in becoming a police state, under the leadership of Retired Brigadier President Julius Maada Bio, who is being accused of failing to account for the extra-judicial killing of over 200 people since coming to power in 2018, including over 70 unarmed prisoners.
In the wake of this week’s action by the Speaker of Parliament to deny journalists the right to criticise or disagree with the decisions of parliament, the whereabouts of local journalist Thomas Dixon, who went into hiding few weeks ago after being threatened with arrest by the Chief of police – for referring to the Chief of Police as “arrogant”, remains unknown.
Critics say that journalism in Sierra Leone is once again becoming a blood sport, except for those that are being paid by the government with “brown envelopes” to become parrots of the government.
Just before Christmas, Thomas Dixon posted this statement on social media whilst in hiding in fear: “I want to use this opportunity to inform everyone that I am safe where I am staying at the moment. I thank all those who tried to reach out to me and for your prayers and words of consolation and solidarity.
“I am still in hiding for the serious threat of the Inspector General of Police William Faya Sellu in a text message: “Thomas, you have crossed the redline.” His threat came after I*critiqued what I believed as the unnecessary use of “orders from above” to keep people in detention.
“His threat was further compounded by a call from the President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), Ahmed Sahid Nasrallah advising that I should leave my home because the IG told him that he would get me arrested. Prior to this information, I had not been informed of any report or investigation against me by the IGP.
“However, people in my community confirmed that they saw an unidentified black vehicle with some men in the vehicle around the community but could not tell their purpose this past Saturday when the IGP made the threat that I have crossed the redline.
“This is the way people in positions of trust have been abusing power in our country for years which have most time cost the lives and destinies of powerless citizens all in the name of “orders from above.”
“The threat of the IG that I have crossed the redline which figuratively can be interpreted as the point of no return is still having a psychological effect on me and my family.
“Whereas I am safe where I am, I want to state that I still feel insecured to practice my craft as a journalist in an environment full of threats against media practitioners to the point that the IG could text, “Thomas, you have crossed the redline.”
Editor’s note:
You can watch the Speaker of Parliament making his statement here
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