Yormie said his release was later secured following the intervention of Press Union of Liberia (PUL) President Julius Kanubah and officers of the Liberia National Police.
Tappita, Nimba County – Broadcast journalist Alex Yormie of Radio Lar-Wehyi in Tappita, Nimba County, was reportedly abducted and tortured by individuals allegedly linked to the Poro Society, following a directive he aired from the Ministry of Internal Affairs suspending all traditional activities involving the Poro and Sande societies.
According to Yormie, the ordeal began on the evening of June 30, shortly after he broadcast the ministry’s directive. He said he received a call from Mr. Melvin Duo, General Culture Coordinator of Nimba County, who allegedly summoned him to his residence to advise him against airing such information, which Duo claimed defamed the sacred traditional society. Yormie said he declined to honor the invitation due to Duo’s harsh tone.
While on his way home, Yormie recounted, he was abducted by unknown men, forced into a pickup, and physically assaulted. He was reportedly taken to Yriah Town with the intention of being initiated into the Poro Society. However, he said the local Bush Master refused to carry out the initiation, citing the government’s suspension of all society activities. He was then taken to another nearby town where he briefly escaped and hid in the bushes for several hours before being recaptured.
His release was later secured following the intervention of Press Union of Liberia (PUL) President Julius Kanubah and officers of the Liberia National Police.
Prior to Yormie’s release, Cultural Coordinator Melvin Duo acknowledged that the journalist had been taken to the local Poro Society headquarters for questioning. He said the journalist’s family and local elders from Gblah Township in Zor-geh had been invited to a traditional hearing to determine whether Yormie was a member of the Poro Society and, if not, why he chose to publicly discuss matters concerning the secretive group.
“If he is not a member,” Duo stated, “his family and the traditional community will be informed that their son has desecrated the culture of Nimba.”
Duo denied that Yormie was physically assaulted and dismissed claims that the journalist was undergoing initiation. He did, however, express concerns about Yormie’s broadcast and assured the PUL in a phone conversation that the journalist would be released to his family by Tuesday.
The Press Union of Liberia has strongly condemned the incident, calling it “unacceptable and a total violation” of the journalist’s rights.
“The PUL acknowledges the secrecy of traditional societies, but the unlawful detention and alleged torture of journalist Alex Yormie is a gross violation of press freedom and human rights,” the Union said in a statement.
The incident has sparked outrage among media and human rights groups, reigniting the debate over the intersection of traditional practices and constitutional freedoms in Liberia.
