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Guinea media seeks justice for journalist killed in clashes

By AFP
Guinea Guinean journalists march on February 8, 2016 in Conakry to protest after a journalist was shot in clashes outside the offices of an opposition party on February 5.  By Cellou Binani AFP
FEB 8, 2016 LISTEN
Guinean journalists march on February 8, 2016 in Conakry to protest after a journalist was shot in clashes outside the offices of an opposition party on February 5. By Cellou Binani (AFP)

Conakry (AFP) - Hundreds of people joined a march in Conakry Monday in memory of journalist El Hadj Mohamed Diallo who was shot dead last week in clashes outside the offices of an opposition party.

Five media associations called for justice and a "press-free day" on Tuesday in honour of Diallo who died on Friday after receiving a bullet to the chest in the capital Conakry.

The four-hour march by some 300 journalists, civil representatives and ordinary citizens took place without incident and ended up in front of the justice ministry building.

The protesters demanded justice for Diallo, who worked for the private Guinee7 news website and the weekly L'Independant.

He had been standing outside the headquarters of the main opposition party, Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea (UFDG), when violence broke out over the recent removal of the party's vice president, Amadou Bah Oury.

Bah Oury had gone to the headquarters intending to challenge the decision to expel him from the party leadership. But his presence sparked clashes between supporters and the building's security guards during which shots were fired.

One of the bullets struck Diallo, who later died in hospital.

Both the UFDG and Bah Oury blamed each other for the unrest in separate statements on Saturday.

According to relatives, Diallo was married and had a young daughter.

He was buried on Sunday in the Conakry suburb of Ratoma.

In a joint statement five press associations urged "all Guinean media to observe a press-free day" on Tuesday.

During the march, the protesters chanted that this was "one death too many,".

Some carried a banner bearing the message; "we demand justice for the victim, the widow and the orphan".

"We will throw as much light as we can on this matter," so that those responsible are brought to justice, marchers' spokesman Fatoumata Diallo said in front of Justice Minister Cheick Sako.

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