2 journalists take refuge in South African embassy

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In what may appear to be a trend after Julian Assange, WikiLeaks founder sought refuge in the Ecuadorain embassy in London, South Africa’s embassy in Madagascar has granted refuge to two journalists and a technician of a closed-down opposition radio station following “prolonged harassment”, it said on Friday.

“The South African embassy confirms that it has decided to give refuge to the journalists in question … because of prolonged and incessant harassment of these journalists and of others as well as the closing of Radio Free FM,” the mission said in a statement.

It did not name the journalists.

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Free FM, whose director Lalatiana Rakotondrazafy is one of the journalists, was the main opposition radio station on the Indian Ocean island.

The station closed down voluntarily in July citing intimidation by the army following a mutiny.

Rakotondrazafy and one of her journalists had been detained in May for broadcasting critical of strongman Andry Rajoelina’s government.

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