Togo: MFWA warns - Press freedom under attack

Togolese authorities have approved an amendment to the Act establishing the High Authority of Broadcasting and Communication (HAAC), giving it power to impose severe sanctions on the country’s media.

The new law passed by the National Assembly on October 30, 2009 allows the HAAC after only a formal public notice, to resort to “the withdrawal of authorisation and seizure of the equipment” and “the suspension of publication for a period of six months together with the withdrawal of press cards”

Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)’s correspondent reported that the passage of the law has received widespread condemnation from media groups and freedom of expression organizations as well as the main opposition political party, Union of the Forces for Change (UFC)’s that boycotted the amendment process. The second main opposition party, the Committee of  Action for  Renewal (CAR) abstained.


The correspondent said in a communiqué issued on November 2, a coalition of media groups and freedom of expression organisations urged advocates of free expression and journalists to be resolute and join forces with it to protest against the new law.

A coalition of Togo Union of Independent Journalists (UJIT), Togo Media Observatory (OTM), National Council of Media Owners of Togo (CONAPP) and Journalists for Human Rights (JDHO-Togo) said in the communiqué that the amendment “betrays a clear intention on the part of the authorities to gag the private press during the 2010 presidential elections”.


The media groups expressed their intention of hitting the streets in protest emphasizing that “the action dangerously compromises the practice of the journalistic profession and constitutes a real setback for our hard-won press freedom”.

MFWA adds its voice to that of the coalition and urges the members not to relent on their efforts but to pressurise the authorities to withdraw this repressive law.

- November 6, 2009 by MFWA

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Source: www.mediafound.org/index.php (Accessed 11.11.2009)