Liberian charges against film crew

Channel4 say the film crew had permission to film

The text of the list of charges against the Channel 4 film crew arrested in Liberia.

REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA

IN THE FIRST JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COURT,

MONTSERRADO COUNTY

CRIMINAL ASSIZEZ "A" MONTSERRADO COUNTY

SITTING IN ITS AUGUST TERM, 2000

BEFORE HIS HONOR: TIMOTHY Z. SWOPE... ASSIGNED CIRCUIT JUDGE

Republic of Liberia......PLAINTIFF [ESPIONAGE] vs. David Barrie, Timothy John Lambon, Gugulakhe Radebe and Samura Sorious... DEFENDANTS

INDICTMENT

THE GRAND JURORS, good and lawful citizens of Montserrado County, Republic of Liberia, duly selected, sworn and impaneled to inquire into matters brought before them for and on behalf of the Republic of Liberia, do upon their OATH present the above named Defendants, all Foreigners residing in the Republic of Liberia, for the crime of ESPIONAGE to wit as follows:

That in violation of the New Penal Code of the Republic of Liberia Section 11.8 and consistent with the receptive statute, 70Amjur2nd: New Penal Code secion 11.8 provides: "A person has committed espionage, a first degree felony, if he purposely reveals national defense information to a foreign power in the event of military or diplomatic confrontation with Liberia."

70Amjur2nd Sections 17, 18 etc. provides thus: "One is engaged in espionage, or spying, when he obtains information relating to national defense and communicates it to a foreign nation knowing that it will be used to the advantage of such nation or to the injury of the United States [Liberia uses the US penal code]. Espionage has been loosely described as a form of treason and has references to the crime of gathering, transmitting or losing information related to the national defense with intent or reason to believe that it is to be used to the injury of the United States or to the advantage of any foreign nation."

Section 18: "Espionate Act makes it unlawful to enter or obtain information about any place connected with national defense for the purpose of obtaining information respecting national defense with intent or reason to believe that the information is to be used to the injury of the United States or to the advantage of any foreign nation."

"The most serious offense under Espionage Act, and the one punishable by death, is a violation of 18USCS section 794(a) which proscribes communicating, delivering, or transmitting to any foreign government, or to a military force within any foreign Country, or to any representative, or citizen thereof, any information relating to national defense, or attempting to the injury of the United States or to the advantage of a foreign nation. In time of war it is also a crime, punishable by death under 18USCS section 794(b), to inform the enemy of troop movements and any military plans or any information relating to public defense."

1. On August 8, 2000 defend ands herein above approached the Ministry of Information of the Republic of Liberia and sought accreditation as Journalists, and in keeping with adherence to Press Freedom on the part of the Government of Liberia and Courtesy to all visiting Journalists, the request was granted.

2. That the defendants with criminal design abused the permit and begin to prepare damaging and injurious documentary on Liberia.

3. That the defendants surreptitiously began to carryout [sic] interviews and filming of sensitive areas of the Republic of Liberia which the Government of Liberia believes is intended to be used against it and the people of Liberia during diplomatic confrontations and military events.

4. That the defendants have written and circulated false documents which are being used by the International Community, especially Great Britain and the United States of America to support their allegation that the Government of Liberia is involved with Diamond Trading and Gun Running in the sisterly state of Sierra Leone.

5. That consistent with the criminal design of the defendants, the defendants filmed various scenes and criminally matched them to the various counts of the already distributed script to show that the Government of Liberia is indeed involved in the civil conflict in Sierra Leone.

6. Further, to count (5) above, the defendants through their script portrays the President of the Republic of Liberia as a Murderer to the viewers and the International Community and as an attempt to give credence, have filmed the President of the Republic of Liberia on separate occasions and have linked such film to events of war in other areas.

7. That the Republic of Liberia is in the State of War and it is believed that information of public defence has been collected by the defendants and citizens to be used against the Republic of Liberia.

THE GRAND JURORS, aforesaid, upon their OATHS aforesaid, do present defendants, David Barrie, Timothy John Lambon, Gugulakhe Radebe and Samura Sorious, all aliens residing within the Republic of Liberia, at diverse times, places and dates did do and commit the crime of espionage, contrary to the form, force and effect of the Statutory Laws of Liberia and existing Common Laws, in such cases made and provided and against the peace and dignity of the Repulic.

Dated this 21st day of August 2000.

Respectfully submitted, Republic of Liberia, by and through the County Attorney of Montserrado County