Angolan police seize independent newspaper's computers

NEW YORK, March 13, 2012 - The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns today's Angolan police raid at the independent weekly Folha 8, which was conducted in connection with a politicized investigation into the publication of a satirical photo montage. Officers confiscated all of Folha 8's computers, effectively crippling the operations of one of the country's two remaining independent publications.



About 15 officers of the Angolan National Directorate of Criminal Investigations arrived at the Luanda offices of Folha 8 at around 1 p.m., the paper's editor-in-chief, Fernando Baxi, told CPJ. The officials took away about 20 computers from the newsroom, António Setas, the paper's deputy director, told CPJ. Officials also forced Baxi to remove the battery of his cell phone during the seizure to prevent him from communicating with anyone, Setas said.



In an interview with the Portugal-based news agency LUSA today, Folha 8 editor William Tonet said the raid was connected to a public prosecutor's December 2011 criminal investigation into the paper's re-publication of an Internet photo montage lampooning President José Eduardo dos Santos, Vice President Fernando Piedade Dias dos Santos, and Gen. Manuel Helder Vieira Dias Júnior Kopelipa, the military adviser to the president. No formal charges in the investigation have been filed, but the newspaper's computers could be used as evidence against them in the case, local journalists told CPJ.



CPJ obtained a copy of the search and seizure warrant signed by Public Prosecutor João Vemba Coca, which called on Angolan police to seize all computers and tools used to commit "acts that constitute the crime of outrage against the state, the person of the president, and the organs of the executive." Folha 8 has reported on government corruption and has also covered the recent anti-government protests challenging Dos Santos' 32 years of rule, according to CPJ research. Without its computers, the paper is unable to publish.



Angolan police spokesman Carmo Neto did not immediately return CPJ's calls for comment.



"The seizure of Folha 8'scomputers is a crude act of censorship meant to silence one of the few remaining independent news outlets in Angola," said CPJ Africa Advocacy Coordinator Mohamed Keita. "Satire is not an outrage against the state-it's an important part of robust debate in a free society. We call on authorities to return Folha 8'sequipment at once and put an end to this politically motivated investigation."



Journalists at Folha 8 have been targeted before. In October 2010, authorities handed Tonet a one-year suspended prison sentence and a fine of 10 million kwanza (US$105,000), which he is still appealing. The journalist had written stories alleging corruption and abuse of power by five senior officials close to Dos Santos, according to local journalists.

'i-am' associates ties up with Percept for India entry

New Delhi, Mar 7 - UK-based brand consultancy firm 'i-am' associates today said it has joined hands with media and communication firm Percept Ltd for its entry into India.

The two partners have set set up a studio in Mumbai with a team comprising local talent in combination with experienced personnel from the UK and Turkey.

 ÒInitial strategic and creative support will come from the UK and Istanbul offices with a local team being built simultaneously with hopes to break even within year one of operations in India,Ó i-am associates said in a joint statement with Percept.

 After Mumbai, 'i-am' associates will consider expansion into other cities later, it added.

 Commenting on the development, 'i-am' associates Managing Director Jon Blakeney said: ÒIndia holds great potential and we would like to be part of it's growth success story, we could not think of a better alliance than Percept.Ó Percept Ltd Vice-Chairman and MD Harindra Singh said: ÒI am confident that our decades of in-depth knowledge and skills of marketing and promoting numerous Indian and international brands combined with 'i-am' associates immense global experience and learning will translate into applying fresh analytical thinking.Ó

Internationally 'i-am' associates has worked in the areas of finance, real estate, hospitality and in retail sector for brands like Diesel, Armani, Coca Cola, Adidas, FCUK, Hustler and Costa Coffee.

 As a pilot project in India, 'i-am' associates has signed up New India Bank as its first client and is working on an overhaul of the business encompassing every aspect of the bank's operations from brand communications to interiors.