Liberia's Independent back on the newstands

Acting on The Independent's defence, which called the ban "illegal and a violation of Liberian laws", the court ordered the newspaper to return to status quo ante.

The Independent's attorney, Syema Syrenius Cephus was pleased with the outcome, saying, "That instruction or mandate from the office of the Chamber Justice suggests that The Independent newspaper can now publish because, if the instruction says return to status quo ante, what they are saying is that they return to the previous positions that both parties were occupying prior to the commencement of the action. The stay order is a victory for us."

Cephus also reported that the paper would be back in circulation today, 29 March 2007.

The ban was enforced on 27 February 2007 after photos of the minister and two women, caught in a compromising position, appeared in the 20 and 27 February editions. Knuckles subsequently resigned.

Information minister Lawrence Bropleh responded to criticism of the decision by saying that the newspaper exposed children to pornography.

“The government has decided to revoke [The Independent’s] rights to publish for one year because the paper ... published a pornography, a nude picture of former minister Knuckles and women having sex; [the paper] was warned by the Press Union, was suspended for three months last week, and this week the paper came out ... published again a half nude photograph of former minister Knuckles,” Bropleh told James Butty of VOA News.

A week before the ban was imposed, the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) suspended The Independent's membership in reaction to the photo, calling it “obscene and a violation” of its code of ethics. However, the PUL condemned the government's decision, stating it was "misuse of power", as the closure of the paper’s offices came without a court order. The union urged the government to unlock the offices and submit to the rule of law.

Sources: CEMESP, IFEX, VOA News, IFJ, Newswatch India