National Press Club Calls for Release of Nigerien Journalist
WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 — Following is a statement from Eileen O’Reilly, president of the National Press Club, and Gil Klein, president of the National Press Club Journalism Institute, on the kidnapping and detention of Samira Sabou, an independent journalist in Niger.
“Samira Sabou, a widely respected online journalist and blogger in her home country, was forcibly taken from her home on Sept. 30 by masked men who told her husband they were with security services but provided no identification. After eight days without word of her whereabouts, there are now reports that she is in custody of Niger’s federal police under suspicion of trying to undermine the country’s current regime.
No case more vividly illustrates the precarious position of truth-tellers than Sabou’s. A little more than a year ago, Sabou was threatened with prison by the administration of Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum. Now she’s being accused of treason by the coup leaders who overthrew her would-be jailer.
For journalists, making enemies on both sides of a political conflict is a badge of honor. It’s a sign that a reporter is serving the right cause – fairness — and the right interest group — the people.
Sabou has been an outspoken defender of journalism’s watchdog role no matter who is in power. Her last Facebook post before her detention urged the government to revise a “cybercrime” law that threatened to muzzle reporters with heavy penalties for vaguely defined offenses. In a Sept. 4 interview on Radio Television Niger, she said her work has made her the target of an online trolling campaign. She argued that her dedication to journalism is evidence of her patriotism.
‘With all that has happened with the crisis, with all the harassment I have endured, I could have packed my bags and left,” she said. “But I stayed, despite the danger.’
Now that the danger has arrived at Sabou’s door, we urge American diplomats and members of Congress to send a strong message to Niger’s new leaders: If they want to be recognized as members of civil society, rather than proponents of organized terrorism, they must signal that journalism is not a crime in Niger, and free Samira Sabou.”
About the National Press Club
Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is the world’s leading professional organization for journalists. The Club has 3,000 members representing nearly every major journalism organization and is a leading voice for press freedom in the United States and around the world.
About the National Press Club Journalism Institute
The National Press Club Journalism Institute promotes an engaged global citizenry through an independent and free press, and equips journalists with skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire a more representative democracy. As the nonprofit affiliate of the National Press Club, the Institute powers journalism in the public interest.
Contact: Bill McCarren, 202-662-7534 for the National Press Club