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By Stephanie M. Duncan
The Enquiry Committee setup by the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) has released its investigative report on journalist alleged brutality.
The head of the committee Madam Torwon Sulonteh-Brown said the report is not to blame one person for the incident but to reveal the facts and state the wrongdoings of both parties.
The Press Union of Liberia setup a special investigative Committee to examine allegations against the Minister of Information Cultural Affairs and Tourism, Jerolinmek Piah. Journalist Franklin Doloquee of Front Page Africa complained that the Minister brutalized and seized his equipment while doing his reportorial duties.
The journalist argued that minister Piah seized his gadgets after he asked about the absence of the Vice President to the Town Hall meeting. But the Committee stated that the investigation revealed that there was no brutality as reported by Journalist Doloquee.
“The Minister overused his power on the journalist after he refused to delete the videos and Journalist Doloquee was wrong for recording without the consent of the minister”, the committee chair stated.
Madam Brown stated in the report that the incident occurred not because of the question asked but the bridge in the agreement before the interview. “We are not here to tell you who is the highest wrong doer but to state the facts about the incident,” she said.
The special investigative committee further recommended that the PUL ensures that journalists adhere to ethical principles to avoid such incidents.
The committee also recommended that PUL should reinforce adherence to the Journalists’ Code of Ethics, emphasizing respect for privacy and proper conduct during interviews.
Madam Brown and other members of the committee
That media houses having conflict with any individual, group, organization or government official must first seek the intervention of the PUL before taking any action unless the situation demands immediate urgency and media outlets should verify facts and ensure balanced reporting before issuing public statements in line with Articles 19, 23, and paragraph 2 of the PUL’s Code of Ethics.
The committee further recommended that government officials too, including ministers, should respect journalists’ rights and follow due process and the rules of engagement when addressing misconduct or disputes.