Four journalists freed after apology to Liberia's president

The four journalists are, clockwise from top left, David Barrie, Timothy John Lambon, Sorious Samura and Gugulakhe Radebe

MONROVIA, Liberia (CNN) -- Four journalists jailed on spying charges in Liberia were on their way out of the country on Friday after being freed.

Liberian President Charles Taylor told CNN that the men had been released following an apology to him and his government.

He insisted the men -- including the award-winning Sierra Leonean Sorious Samura, Britons Timothy John Lambon and David Barrie and South African Gugulakhe Radebe -- had not been pardoned but were freed as a plea bargain.

"We are not expelling the journalists but they are free to leave whenever they want," said Taylor.

Shortly after the president agreed to their release, the four men and their lawyer left a prison for Monrovia airport.

The four TV crew members were arrested on August 18 while working for Britain's Channel 4 network on a documentary that concerned Taylor.

CNN, which had hired the journalists to work on a separate documentary about migration in Africa, expressed relief that the journalists were being freed.

AUDIO Listen to Liberian President Taylor comment on the arrest and release of the four journalists Part one: 437k/20 sec. AIFF or WAV sound Part two: 476k/23 sec. AIFF or WAV sound     MESSAGE BOARD Journalists at risk

"We at CNN are pleased and relieved to hear the announcement that these journalists have been released and this situation brought to a peaceful and amicable resolution," said Eason Jordan, president of global newsgathering and international networks for CNN. "The safety of journalists is paramount to CNN, as it is to news organizations worldwide."

Taylor said the men were jailed after a "hypothetical" script was discovered which he said accused Liberia of supporting gun running and diamond smuggling.

"The journalists came here to fill in the blanks," said Taylor. He said the script described a scene in which he drove the journalists to a diamond mine, a scenario he called "utterly impossible."

"They even had me giving them gifts -- people I have never met," said Taylor, calling the script "yellow journalism."

Taylor said he wondered how much of the documentary "Cry Freetown," shot by Samura and shown on CNN, was hypothetical.

"Little countries do not have this luxury of defending themselves. We have to do it before the fact, not after the fact," said Taylor.

'Unreserved apology'

He said allegations that Liberia was involved in gun running and diamond smuggling in Sierra Leone could have resulted in serious actions being taken against Liberia including sanctions and possible military action.

Liberian President Charles Taylor

The four journalists had written to the U.S. special envoy to Africa, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, asking for his help, saying they had been mistreated at the hands of their captors.

Taylor said he did not believe the four had been mistreated and if he found evidence that they had, he would have Liberia's attorney-general "take tough stands" against anyone involved.

Channel 4 in London apologised in writing on Friday for documents the journalists were carrying that caused offence to Taylor and the Liberian government. Channel 4, together with CNN, had commissioned the documentary the four men were working on.

The journalists issued a written statement from Monrovia Central Prison saying they wished "to express our unreserved apology to both his Excellency the President of Liberia, and the people of Liberia, for any offense which our actions or statements have caused."

"We have seen the letter sent by the chairman of Channel 4 and this expresses exactly what we feel, and we will discontinue this project as regards Liberia."

A short time later, the Liberian deputy minister for public affairs issued a statement saying: "The Government of the Republic of Liberia is pleased to note the new developments in the case involving the four foreign journalists, who have issued an unreserved apology to the president and people of Liberia and indicated that they will discontinue their documentary project in Liberia."

The four journalists were arrested after the so-called "hypothetical" script was found in their hotel room.

Liberian officials had said that the four could face the death penalty.

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Liberian president not likely to free jailed journalists, official says
August 22, 2000
Journalists appear in Liberian court on spying charges
August 22, 2000
TV crew arrested in Liberia on spying charges
August 20, 2000
Four journalists held on spying charges in Liberia
August 20, 2000

Friends of Liberia
Republic of Liberia
Channel 4 Television
Cry Freetown
Committee to Protect Journalists -- Press Freedom Online
International Journalists' Network

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