(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders wrote to Tanzanian minister of home affairs Emmanuel Nchimbi last week to call for an end to the harassment of the journalist Erick Kabendera and his family by representatives of the state.
“Tanzania's ranking in the 2013 Reporters Without Borders press freedom index is 36 places lower than last year,” the 18 February letter said. “No journalists had been killed until September 2012, but thereafter two were killed in the space of four months and this has had a big impact on the Tanzanian news environment.
“Harassment by officials of such a respected journalist as Mr. Kabendera can only exacerbate the current sense of helplessness among Tanzanian journalists, especially when everything indicates that it is not random. These intimidation attempts are targeting a talented journalist and seem designed to protect a senior official who was affected by his testimony.”
Signed by secretary-general Christophe Deloire, the letter added: “Reporters Without Borders urges you to call the Immigration Department to order so that this disgraceful harassment stops. We also urge you to tell the police that they must do whatever is necessary to guarantee the safety of Mr. Kabendera and his family.” A former employee of the Dar es Salaam-based Guardian newspaper, Kabendera was...
“Tanzania's ranking in the 2013 Reporters Without Borders press freedom index is 36 places lower than last year,” the 18 February letter said. “No journalists had been killed until September 2012, but thereafter two were killed in the space of four months and this has had a big impact on the Tanzanian news environment.
“Harassment by officials of such a respected journalist as Mr. Kabendera can only exacerbate the current sense of helplessness among Tanzanian journalists, especially when everything indicates that it is not random. These intimidation attempts are targeting a talented journalist and seem designed to protect a senior official who was affected by his testimony.”
Signed by secretary-general Christophe Deloire, the letter added: “Reporters Without Borders urges you to call the Immigration Department to order so that this disgraceful harassment stops. We also urge you to tell the police that they must do whatever is necessary to guarantee the safety of Mr. Kabendera and his family.” A former employee of the Dar es Salaam-based Guardian newspaper, Kabendera was...
