Chad: Security forces attack DW correspondent

DW correspondent Blaise Dariustone was threatened and physically attacked on Friday, November 27 in Chad's capital N'djamena by security forces in the studios of FM Liberté, a partner station of Deutsche Welle.

Mosambik - Nampula Rádio Encontro
Image: DW/J. Beck

The security forces were deployed after the radio station interviewed opposition supporters about an opposition rally banned by the authorities.

Upon entering the FM Liberte building, the police sprayed tear gas and fired shots. The journalists, including our correspondent, were forced to get into police cars. Dariustone was beaten with a rifle butt. Approximately 30 journalists were arrested.

Sogour Abdelkerim Déby, the head of the operation, personally threatened the DW correspondent: "This one has to get into my car," he said, adding that he would "take care of him” personally. And later in the car: "I'll see you two later."

DW employee Blaise Dariustone was then repeatedly hit in the head and back on the orders of the head of the operation.

DW Editor-in-Chief Manuela Kasper-Claridge: "We are outraged that government officials physically abused and threatened our correspondent. This is unacceptable. Journalists must be allowed to work freely in Chad. 30 years ago, when President Idriss Déby Itno came to power, he promised his fellow citizens freedom as the greatest gift. But civil freedom can only exist with freedom of the press and freedom of opinion."

Several radio stations in Chad stopped broadcasting for one day on Tuesday to protest against the unjustified police action against journalists.