MR. WEAH’S PREDECESSOR, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, in 2008 – two years after taking office, donated US$100,000 for the construction of the headquarters of the Press Union of Liberia. GESTURES ASIDE, the press in Liberia has come under immense fire from authorities in recent years. THE COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALIST in observing this year’s celebration laments: “It can be discouraging to see press freedom increasingly threatened around the globe, but the resilience of these reporters keeps us motivated, and the stakes for a free press have never been higher. ANGELA QUINTAL, CPJ’s Africa program coordinator noted: “Civil defamation lawsuits involving massive claims for damages remain a major challenge to press freedom in Liberia. AS THE WORLD OBSERVES World Press Freedom Day, we hope that the Weah-led government would go beyond donations of modern edifices to media institutions like FEJAL and go a step further in putting its words into action.

Source: Front Page Africa May 03, 2019 03:45 UTC