The Republic of Equatorial Guinea Embassy in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, through this message, expresses its total repulsion and rejection of the press articles published on 10th and 12th September 2016, published by the British newspapers The Sun and The Daily Mail, respectively.
29/09/2016
While the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, its Government and its People are great defenders of freedom of expression, together with the freedom of the press, the readers of these newspapers should be aware that the articles in question have little to do with the true spirit underlying the right of every human to express his convictions, opinions and truths, providing these expressions cause no damage or harm to persons or groups. Freedom of expression should not allow or include racist, religious or nationalist views, nor should it incite violence or actions of a similar nature against persons.
The journalists Thomas Burrows (The Daily Mail) and Neal Baker (The Sun) will surely be aware of the current legislation in their country, Great Britain, which stipulates that political freedom of expression is protected only when it is relevant to, concerns or is of interest to the public (British, in this case). But the articles published this month bring into question the ethics professed by the aforementioned journalists. Their allegations of cannibalism, apart from being ridiculous, lack any basis or truth, they are completely irrelevant. A closer reading of British legislation on political freedom of expression reveals that this must be “necessary and proportionate” and must have a “legitimate end”. These two reporters, together with their editors/chiefs decided to ignore the duty to NOT defame, in favour of the indulgence and temptation for sensationalism, falsehood and pure innuendo.
It is regrettable that the British public has to feed off such imagination and fantasy, through reporters who have little in common with dignified professionals such as Glenn Greenwald, Louis Theroux, Kate Adie, Robert Fisk, James O’brien, Paul Shirley, or the unmistakable Christiane Amanpour, who would not dare to issue an opinion before previously ensuring their sources and facts were reliable. These true journalists do not skimp on their social responsibility or factual truth, to which they are beholden.
Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, Head of State and President of our beloved Republic of Equatorial Guinea, has been tolerating gratuitous slurs, defamation and offence from the British press against his person in recent years. The Equatorial Guinea Embassy has already had to pass on the the British government its disagreement and indignation regarding certain unacceptable allegations in the past, and on this occasion has used the opportune means to reiterate its firm disagreement with the outrages directed against the Head of State. Likewise, various British law firms have been consulted by the Mission, in order to receive advice on the pertinent legal procedures, in order that the defamation published by The Sun and The Daily Mail can be immediately retracted and the articles removed from the online editions of these publications.
London, 14th September 2016
FOR A BETTER GUINEA
THE AMBASSADOR
Institutional Web Page General Directorate ((DPGWIGE)
Equatorial Guinea Press and Information Office
Notice: Reproduction of all or part of this article or the images that accompany it must always be done mentioning its source (Equatorial Guinea’s Press and Information Office).
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