Jailed For Speaking The Truths

  Press release of Friday October 18 2013

Since Friday October 11, hundreds of common law prisoners were released in Côte d'Ivoire including French- Ivorian artist Jah Prince which was released Thursday, October 17.

Jah Prince came in Côte d'Ivoire as a foreign investor. The French artist had invested in music and sound equipment for a total value of EUR 300 000, including a container of 3000 cds of his latest album "prisonniers de Babylon. His projects with his Jahps Company were to install a recording studio to produce artists of the country and to build a school of music on his plot of Niangon Lokua (commune of Abidjan).

The post-election crisis of 2010 has been detrimental to him because customs officials have failed in their mission to secure the property of people in June of that same year. From this moment the artist spoke directly to the head of the State of Côte d'Ivoire through the press so that his imported belongings could be reimbursed.

He has been brutally arrested at his home on November 21, 2012 with no warrant of arrest and search. On December 5, 2012 he has been sentenced to one year imprisonment and 5 years ' ban on Ivorian territory for consumption of cannabis.

We, as a Committee of support to Jah Prince, welcome this presidential pardon following the extraordinary Council of Ministers on Friday September 20, 2013, "The Council has decided to grant a collective pardon to about three thousand (3000) inmates". According to Jah Prince "this is inexorably a step further toward a national reconciliation. Indeed, families, in either camp, who have their family members imprisoned, can now more easily forgive”.

The composer and singer of reggae thinks that "a reconciliation of the Ivorian nation is needed for the local population  but for the visitors and foreign investors as well, who to participate in the development of Côte d'Ivoire need also a lasting climate of peace more than an apparent climate of security”.

Jah Prince asks for "a total release of prisoners on the territory of Côte d'Ivoire. He explains that "people in prison since the end of the war until today must be released because they are not fully responsible for their acts. Politics has installed a climate of war pushing people to hate and kill each other. An example for Jah Prince is that “in block C of MACA, there are pro-Gbagbo and FRCI prisoners who share the same plates and there has been no drop of blood ''. It is politics that causes the conflict.”

In order to support Jah Prince, buy his album "Prisoners of Babylone"

        clic on that link

The French-Ivorian artist, Jah Prince, decided in spring 2010, with the members of his association Jahps Productions to make a comeback in his native land Ivory Coast. Jah Prince wanted to prepare songs for a new album, shoot a video, build a music school and arrange a concert tour in the sub region’s countries. Jah Prince, real name Prince Serry, import from France  of his 3000 CD’s of his evocative album titled: "Prisoners of Babylon."  

In January 2011, just before the crisis in Ivory Coast, Jah Prince expressed himself in the local press,  “Fraternité Matin”: "I came to ask politicians to fade and let the people work. This requires disarming violent consciences, going back to square one and avoiding to burn the country. ". He also had a speech in the newspaper “Le Temps”, whose media group director, Ousmane Sy Savane, has been released on May 3, 20th World Day of Press Freedom. Jah Prince also expressed himself on the RTI (Ivorian Radio Television), where he advised the two presidential candidates to appease the situation in order to avoid a war ... But in June 2011, the3, 000 CDs were looted. Bad customs practices?Censorship? Devoid of his albums, his guitar and his microphone, what can an artist be and what can he do?

The fury against the artist continues. In November 21, Jah Prince is illegally arrested in his home in Abidjan, without any warrant or search warrant, and is since that date, imprisoned in MACA (Abidjan prison). He has been judge on December 5, 2012 for «drug consumption» and sentenced to one year in prison and five years of ban on Ivorian territory. This is the pretext to lock him up; but Jah Price assumes: he smokes cannabis since he began writing music and uses it for inspiration. Would we have thought to enclose the famous Bob Marley for the same reason?

We must release Jah Prince, he has committed no crime, and he is truly a peaceful man who wants to live in a clean Ivory Coast, unsoiled by incessant corruption. He also wants a more favourable climate for freedom of expression in Ivory Coast. The European tour of his group “Jah Prince and the Prophets” for the summer of 2013 has been canceled, but next year, he will come back and will speak in the microphone that is pulled from him.

Jah prince wanted to bring a message of peace to his African brothers because of the tense political climate; during his concerts, he wanted to do orations in order to appease the people. Alas, his music equipment has been looted, and his work (the album "Prisoners of Babylon autoprod 2003) was hacked and finally his own person is attacked: the French-Ivorian singer is illegally detained (there are defects forms in the process of arrest) in the MACA ( prison and correction penitentiary of Abidjan, Ivory Coast). We need you, fan of reggae, of freedom, injustices rebels’.

Positive brothers and sisters, please don’t forget Jah Prince that is behind bars as in the cover of his album producted in 2003, but this time, nothing to do with a model of CD: this is the harsh reality! You can also support the association Jahps by donating or buying the album, we collect funds to pay a lawyer and to send direct aid to Jah Prince. Please, listen to the song "Prisoners of Babylon", so that the words are released from his cell and fill your hearts with joy!!!!