Africa-Press – Mauritius. The arrest of journalist Narain Jasodanand by the Central Criminal Investigation Department (CCID) on Friday, September 12, has sparked strong condemnation across the media and political spectrum. Critical voices have even emerged within the government majority, including Shakeel Mohamed, Khushal Lobine of the Nouveau Démocrate party, and Labour Party MPs Eshan Juman and Raviraj Beechook, with Rezistans ek Alternativ also joining the outcry.
These figures have expressed unified support and solidarity with the journalist. The arrest came after a complaint by Tevin Sithanen, son of the Governor of the Bank of Mauritius. Police officers raided Jasodanand’s home, searched the premises, and seized his electronic devices, including his laptop, before taking him to the Central Police Station (Casernes Centrales).
In a press statement, Narain Jasodanand denounced the arrest as an act of intimidation. He maintained that he was simply doing his journalistic investigative work and expressed bewilderment at being arrested “like a criminal” following a complaint accusing him of breaching the Information and Communication Technologies Act (ICTA).
The incident has raised concerns among political leaders who argue that such matters should be handled civilly rather than through penal actions, emphasizing the essential role of press freedom in democracy and the need to protect journalists in their work. The police maintain that Jasodanand was questioned but later released, with his electronic equipment temporarily held by investigators.
This case underscores tensions between law enforcement and media freedom in Mauritius and has triggered widespread debate about governmental respect for journalistic independence and the protection of fundamental freedoms.
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