Headline: Abdul Hassan Fackie’s Claims on Joseph Turay and Press Freedom in Sierra Leone Are False and Politically Motivated

I, Joseph Turay, Publisher of Public Review newspaper, categorically reject and denounce the recent statements made by Abdul Hassan Fackie during the online TV program We Yard, aired on April 12, 2025.

Fackie falsely claimed that I am not in hiding and that I am currently in Freetown, Sierra Leone, with my vehicle returned by the police. These assertions are entirely untrue. Since my arrest on February 13, 2025, alongside Dutch journalist Sophie Van Leeuwen, I have been forced into hiding due to threats to my life and safety. I have not been in Sierra Leone since that date and have not granted any interviews to any journalist, either within or outside the country.

Furthermore, Fackie’s statement that there is press freedom in Sierra Leone and that no journalist has ever been harassed or arrested is a blatant lie. The arrest of Sophie Van Leeuwen and myself is a clear example of the ongoing suppression of press freedom in the country. Our detentions were part of a broader crackdown on independent media and journalists investigating corruption and illicit activities, including the involvement of Dutch drug lord Johannes Leijdekkers in Sierra Leone.

Fackie’s remarks are not only false but also serve as a deliberate attempt to cover up the truth and undermine the efforts of independent journalists exposing corruption and criminal activities in Sierra Leone. His statements appear to be politically motivated, aiming to protect the interests of the ruling government and its associates.

I call on all media practitioners, civil society organizations, and the international community to reject Fackie’s unfounded claims and to continue supporting the fight for press freedom and accountability in Sierra Leone.