As violent clashes continue in Ivory Coast following its heavily disputed presidential polls, journalists have been arrested, with allegations piling up against President Alassane Ouattara’s government.
Less than a month after the October 31 presidential elections in Ivory Coast, reports reaching the surface continue to point towards a gross violation of human rights and intimidation in the West African country. While President Ouattara secured his third term in office after the electoral commission announced he had secured 94 per cent of the votes, his bid was heavily disputed by opposition parties who have described his bid as “illegal.” This, in turn, has fuelled several protests in the country that have caused the death of over 10 citizens.
Stifling The Ivory Coast Media
According to a report from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), two journalists were recently arrested by the police on charges of being “propagandists,” In the report, the committee revealed that journalist Yao Alex Hallane Clément was picked up alongside 20 other people at the home of opposition leader and former President Henri Konan on November 3, 2020. Similarly, plain-clothed police officers arrested Stéphane Beti, a reporter with the privately owned Cameroon-based news agency.
“Authorities in Ivory Coast must ensure the safety of journalists at all times, including amid political tensions surrounding elections,” said Angela Quintal, CPJ’s Africa program coordinator. “Journalist Yao Alex Hallane Clément should have never been arrested for his work; any legal proceedings against him should be dropped immediately, and authorities must stop harassing journalists for their political coverage.”
Citizens Flee For Safety
Meanwhile, the UN refugee agency has confirmed that more than 3,200 Ivoirians have fled the country as a result of post-election violence.
Speaking to Voice of America, the organisation explained that these citizens are currently seeking refuge in other countries such as Liberia, Ghana and Togo.
“In a 24-hour period, we registered 1,000 refugees coming into Liberia. That is for a total of 2,600, some of those people have come into the country in the days preceding the election. So, what we are doing is we are working closely with the government of Liberia but also Ghana and Togo on contingency plans should the situation worsen and should more people start to come across the border,” says UNHCR spokesman, Boris Cheskirkoy.
