Togo: One month suspension for Radio Kanal FM
The High Authority for Broadcasting and Communication (HAAC), the regulatory body of the media, on Thursday, April 21, slapped a one-month suspension on a private radio station Kanal FM for broadcasting what it described as a "defamatory, tendentious and insulting editorial". According to a Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) Togo source a HAAC directive issued on Friday, April 15, barred all private radio and television stations from covering the campaign for the elections due to be held on April 24, 2005.
IFEX Autolist (other news of interest)
From: Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), [email protected]
Togo alert: One month suspension for Radio Kanal FM
The High Authority for Broadcasting and Communication (HAAC), the regulatory
body of the media, on Thursday, April 21, slapped a one-month suspension on
a private radio station Kanal FM for broadcasting what it described as a
"defamatory, tendentious and insulting editorial".
The HAAC also accused the radio station of not complying with earlier
warnings and cited "serious breach of the code of ethics of the journalistic
profession" as justification for the suspension order.
According to Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)- Togo source a HAAC
directive issued on Friday, April 15, barred all private radio and
television stations from covering the campaign for the elections due to be
held on April 24, 2005.
The directive ordered Directors of the affected stations to "strictly comply
with" the provisions of Section 27 of the order which stipulates that
"private radio and television stations are not permitted, during the
campaign for the presidential elections to organize special programmes or
debates for the candidates or their representatives or report on the
election campaign". It further threatened sanctions if the provisions were
not complied with.
Following this order, on Tuesday, April 20, four journalist and private
media organizations denounced the HAAC for attempting to muzzle the media.
In a statement, the organizations declared: "Barring the media from
covering what is going on during election campaign is a deliberate attempt
to muzzle the media and promote some hidden agenda." It further described
the ban as "unconstitutional, an abuse of authority and a violation of press
freedom and the right of citizens to information pluralism".
The Media Foundation for West Africa is concerned at what it considers an
increase in moves to clamp down on media freedom. MFWA views the HAAC's
directives and pronouncements as a denial of the right of the Togolese media
to play their role in the election processes that are essential to building
democracy.
Kindly send your protest letters to:
H. E. Faure Eyadéma
Through:
M. Pitang Tchalla
Ministre de la Communication et de la Formation civique
BP 40 Lomé, Togo
Tél: (228) 221 29 30 (Standard)
(228) 221 29 23 (Secrétariat particulier)
Fax: (228) 221 43 80
Le Chef d´escadron Akila Esso Boko
Ministère de l´Intérieur, de la Sécurité et de la Décentralisation
Lomé, Togo
Tél: (228) 222 57 12/222 57 16 (Standard)
(228) 221 37 72 (Secrétarait particulier)
Fax: (228) 221 61 50/222 21 84
M. Katary Foli-Bazi
Garde des sceaux, Ministre de la Justice chargé de la promotion de la
démocratie
et de l'Etat de droit
Tél: (228) 221 26 53/221 54 91
(228) 221 09 75 (Secrétariat particulier)
Prof. Kwame Karikari
Executive Director
Tel: 233 21 24 24 70
Fax: 233 21 22 10 84
**The information contained in this autolist item is the sole responsibility
of MFWA**