Africa-Press – Liberia. A wave of public outrage has greeted threats issued by House Speaker Richard Koon against journalists assigned to the Capitol Building, prompting strong condemnation from the Association of Liberian Journalists in the Americas (ALJA) and renewed concerns about the state of press freedom in Liberia.
The controversy erupted during a tense sitting of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, when Speaker Koon publicly warned reporters not to document or report on the internal discussions surrounding the contentious removal of former Speaker Fonati Koffa. In a startling outburst, Koon declared that any legislative reporter who disclosed information about the proceedings would be jailed.
ALJA described the threat as a hostile and deeply troubling declaration. In a press release issued late Tuesday evening, ALJA described Speaker Koon’s comments as dangerous and antithetical to democratic norms.
The president of the association, Joey Kennedy, said the threats were “hostile and deeply troubling for a democratic society,” noting that journalists at the Capitol are accredited professionals fulfilling constitutional responsibilities.
“Whether made in jest or seriousness, such comments have a chilling effect on press freedom,” Kennedy stated. “The media is not an enemy of the state; it is an essential partner in democracy. Any attempt, verbal or otherwise, to threaten journalists is an affront to the rule of law and the democratic values Liberia continues to nurture.”
ALJA called on Speaker Koon to retract the remarks and issue an unambiguous apology to the media community, while urging the House leadership to reaffirm its commitment to transparency and an independent legislature.
The association also encouraged the Government of Liberia, civil society groups, and international partners to closely monitor the situation to prevent retaliation against journalists.
Koon’s Threats: A Throwback to the Dark Days of Decree 88A
Press freedom advocates say Speaker Koon’s declaration is particularly alarming because it appears to invoke the spirit—if not the letter—of the notorious Decree 88A, enacted in the 1980s by the military regime of Samuel Doe. The decree criminalized criticism, “rumormongering,” and any speech perceived as undermining the government. It led to the imprisonment of journalists, students, activists, and political opponents.
Decree 88A was repealed in 1998, and its legacy is widely condemned as one of the darkest chapters for civil liberties in Liberia.
That Koon’s threat referenced jailing journalists over legislative coverage has sparked fears that democratic institutions may be sliding backward—despite modern legal protections such as the Kamara Abdullai Kamara (KAK) Act of Press Freedom, signed in 2019, which repealed sedition, criminal malevolence, and criminal libel.
Speaker Koon’s statement directly contradicts the KAK Act, which moved media-related offenses to civil courts and aligned Liberia’s laws with international standards. The Act was designed to ensure journalists cannot be imprisoned for doing their jobs.
Press freedom advocates argue that Koon’s threats violate not only the spirit of the law but the Constitution itself, which guarantees free speech and equal access to public information.
A Pattern of Hostility Toward the Media?
This is not the first time Speaker Koon has been accused of attacking journalists.
In February 2025, during disputes leading to the removal of former Speaker Koffa, eyewitnesses reported that Koon ordered state security forces to assault journalists attempting to document the forced removal of Representative Yekeh Kolubah’s vehicle. Media professionals were pushed back, cameras seized, and reporters threatened.
These incidents, combined with his most recent threat, have raised concerns that Koon—who assumed the speakership despite a Supreme Court ruling invalidating the session that elected him—may be entrenching a media-hostile culture within the Legislature.
The Speaker’s outburst has its root in historical precedents, as powerful officials have targeted the press in the past. The country’s press has long faced intimidation from powerful state actors, including former President Charles Taylor (1997–2003) as journalists were routinely harassed, arrested, and beaten for reporting on the civil conflict. Some media houses, such as the Radio Veritas and The Analyst, were temporarily shut down.
As a result, many journalists fled the country and Liberia earned a reputation for media repression, worsening international isolation.
Although generally more tolerant, the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s government revived criminal libel charges on several occasions, including against journalist Rodney Sieh, who was jailed in 2013 for reporting on corruption. That case drew global condemnation and pressured the government to later support legal reforms such as the KAK Act.
During the George Weah’s administration, journalists faced beatings by security forces, suppression of protests, and threats by senior officials. The offices of Roots FM were raided and shut down in 2019.
These incidents damaged Weah’s democratic credentials and revived fears of creeping authoritarianism.
Many believe that Speaker Koon’s remarks—if unaddressed—could have several consequences such as a chilling effect on reporting—as reporters may self-censor for fear of retaliation, reducing transparency around legislative activities.
“With journalists silenced, corruption, vote-buying, and abuse of power may go unreported, undermining public trust,” one observer noted on social media. “Such threats contradict Liberia’s commitments under the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance and could attract international scrutiny or sanctions.”
He added that attacks on the press often escalate tensions between government institutions and civil society organizations—something Liberia’s fragile democracy can ill afford.
Meanwhile, ALJA has made its position clear that the Legislature must uphold—not erode—the rights of journalists to freely report on matters of public interest.
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