Liberian Journalist Flogged By Police

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), based in Accra, has called on the Liberia government and security agencies to urgently investigate the alleged flogging of a journalist by police officers.

The journalist, Edmond Garleh, a senior producer of SMILE FM, a community radio station in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh county was flogged by police in the Southern Liberian town for alleged negative reportage of the police service.

A statement by MFWA and signed by its Executive Director, Professor Kwame Karikari said Garleh told the Foundation's correspondence in Liberia that the incident occurred in the presence of the Acting Police Superintendent, Tarley Dwey.

He said he was confronted by four police officers on October 13, and beaten up.

Garleh told a local daily newspaper that on the orders of Police Detachment Commander, Anthony Wilson one of the officers punched his jaw and pushed him on the ground, the other officers then kicked him and hit him in the chest several times with a heavy stick.

The statement said the journalist was assaulted while covering a police swoop on rioting motor cyclists who had been on the rampage, following the murder of a colleague.

The MFWA's correspondent said Garleh told the newspaper that Commander Wilson ordered him off the police premises but on his way, the officers attacked him outside the station.

When the correspondent contacted Superintendent Dwey via telephone, he confirmed the incident and described it as "ugly".

Dwey said he intervened when Garleh was ordered off the compound but the Commander explained that their action was in reaction to Garleh's negative reporting of the police.