3 Journalists Threatened in less than two Months…As PUL Expresses Dissatisfaction
Liberia- February 28, 2023), The Press Union of Liberia (PUL) has expressed serious dismay and concern about threats made against Journalist Lisa Diasay, the Chief Executive Officer of Women TV-Liberia, an online media outlet.
According to the Union, the attack against the Ms. Diasay brings to the number three Journalists that have alarmed attacks since 2023.
According to a complaint filed with the Press Union of Liberia, Ms. Diasay’s life was threatened by unidentified men who have been calling her phone since the attack on the home of former Chief Justice, Gloria Musu Scott which left her daughter killed.
Ms. Diasay informed the PUL that these threats and harassment are from strange men requesting her to desist from further publication on the attack on the home of former jurist. “My kids and I feel very unsafe wherever we are due to the current security crisis of the country and owing to the recent call made by Former Justice Scott prior to the alleged murder of her daughter. Justice Scott alerted the public of attack on her yard by unknown men on two separate occasions yet nothing was done until the unfortunate death of her daughter occurred”, she noted
The Union sees the threats against the journalist as an act intended to force the reporter into self-censorship and undercut standard democratic norms which includes freedom of expression.
“This latest threat brings the number to three journalists who lives have been threatened since the inception of this year by some known and unknown men which include: Journalist Yawah Jaivey of FrontPage Africa, Sekou V. Sheriff of Voice of Liberia and now Lisa Diasey of Women TV-Liberia”.
“The Press Union is calling on the Government of Liberia and international partners to take keen interest in increasing threats against journalists ahead of the upcoming general election in Liberia. Journalists, the Union insisted, must be accorded all the courtesies and protection in the buildup to the election.
Journalists reporting evolving issues, the PUL indicated must at all times be guarded by the Liberia National Police and all other state security apparatus while avoiding intimidations to their persons”, the PUL Release noted.
