RTL journalist Sophie van Leeuwen was arrested together with a local journalist on Thursday in Sierra Leone. That feature Her employer RTL News announced. According to the channel, Van Leeuwen was arrested at a checkpoint close to Freetown and taken to her guest stay for an interrogation. In the meantime she has also been released, but she is still in the country.
Van Leeuwen is in Sierra Leone to report on the Brabant drug lord Jos Leijdekkers, better known as ‘Bolle Jos’, who is hiding in the country. The RTL journalist was arrested for ‘the unlawful capture’ of image. In an explanation The national police on Thursday state that Van Leeuwen was released again ‘to continue her work’. “The police of Sierra Leone wants to ensure that they are committed to the freedom of the press, public safety and the rule of law at all times,” the report said.
According to RTL, their Africa correspondent has the right papers. “Van Leeuwen is accredited and makes stories for RTL News with the permission of the local authority.” The editor -in -chief of the media company, Ilse OpenNeer, has announced that he will investigate what exactly happened. “We are finding out exactly what the suspicion is. We understand that she is being interrogated by the police. Her things have been searched. There is currently a lawyer with her. “
According to Van Leeuwen’s partner, she is doing well, he said NRC. In anticipation of further interrogation, Van Leeuwen is not allowed to leave the country yet. It is unclear how long that will take. To RTL Nieuws, foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp (NSC) told Thursday that the Dutch ambassador in Ghana is “personally” involved in the situation.