Sierra ALERT: Media rights advocate receives another death threat

Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai, Executive Director of Society for Democratic Initiatives (SDI), a Sierra Leone media advocacy organisation, received death threats on February 6, 2009 for allegedly criticising the ruling All People’s Congress (APC) government.

According to a Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)’s source, the anonymous person accused Abdulai of giving opponents of the government the platform to “preach hate politics” on his online Freedom of Information Forum.

In an email communication headlined: “BE WARNED,” the writer threatened: “you have the alternative to either close that forum or we will force you to close it”.

In an interview, Abdulai told MFWA that he had received several death threats since his organisation released a report that criticized the government for reneging on its campaign promise of decriminalizing speech and widening the space for media freedom.

The Executive Director, also a legal practitioner said he has suffered two robbery attacks in less than two months making him feel insecure in the country.

Media Foundation for West Africa