Mamadou Diawo Labboyah Barry, publishing director of the Guinean press group Le Lynx and correspondent for the French media outlet Jeune Afrique in Guinea, had his accreditation as a correspondent withdrawn by the High Authority for Communication (HAC) on September 16, 2026.
The HAC based its decision on what it described as “serious violations of ethical and professional obligations.” Although it did not cite any specific content to substantiate its decision, the media regulator said Barry had failed to “meet the requirements of objectivity, neutrality and balance in his reporting.”
Speaking to the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Barry said he did not understand the rationale behind the HAC’s decision:
“I write all the time, but I do not know which article is being referred to, or whether it concerns a series of articles I have produced. I have been working with Jeune Afrique for more than 10 years and I have never been issued a formal warning or called to order. This is the first time, and the decision was made outright.”
“The HAC did not contact me to inform me of the allegations against me, let alone give me an opportunity to present my side of the story. I am a political journalist. Throughout all these years, I have been doing the same type of reporting. From my perspective, I am no more critical today than I was yesterday,” he said.
In a statement issued by Jeune Afrique Media Group on September 17, 2026, the media group deplored the lack of prior consultation and called for clarification on the content in question.
“The management and editorial teams of Jeune Afrique Media Group therefore call on the HAC, which says it is committed to ‘press freedom and media pluralism,’ to reconsider the arbitrary decision that does not uphold the principles of its institution,” the statement said.
Renewable annually, the accreditation for foreign media correspondents in Guinea is issued by the HAC, in accordance with the provisions under the Press Freedom Law L/2010/002/CNT of June 22, 2010. It is distinct from the press card, which authorises journalists working for local media outlets to practise their profession. The accreditation withdrawal does not affect his work as publishing director of the local outlet Le Lynx.
The MFWA condemns the HAC’s decision to withdraw Diawo Labboyah Barry’s accreditation and calls on the regulator to reconsider its decision and reinstate the journalist.
We urge the HAC to clarify the legal and procedural basis for the withdrawal. Journalists should be given an opportunity to respond to specific allegations before measures that could affect their ability to practise journalism are taken.
