Police arrests of two Jamaican journalists in one week were an abuse of power, Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) has said, and called for a full investigation of the two cases. Those arrested by police in Kingston were: Julian Richardson, financial journalist for the daily Jamaica Observer and Ricardo Makyn, a photographer for the daily the Gleaner.
Richardson was arrested and threatened with death on February 14 after he refused to pay a bribe to two officers in exchange for withdrawing charges against him of "using indecent language and obstructing the traffic". On February 20, Makyn was banned from taking photos of a police officer who shot and wounded a man who had tried to snatch his mobile phone. The photographer was told he was being reported for "insult, assault and disobedience towards a police officer" and taken to the police station. His case is due to be heard on March 4.
