Cote d’Ivoire: freedom of expression and association threatened

AI is concerned that the rights to freedom of association and expression have been increasingly violated since the coming to power of President Henri Konan Bedie in December 1993. One student and several journalists have been arrested and given heavy sentences in what appears to be an attempt to silence political opposition. AI is particularly concerned about the increase in prosecutions of journalists who have criticized the passing of power after the death of former President Houphouet-Boigny or the policies of the new President. Since the beginning of 1994 many students of the organization Federation estudiantine et scolaire de Cote d’ivoire (FESCI) have been arrested, and one, Eugene Gonthy, sentenced to prison.

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