Donate
Donate
Search
Home Blog Page 116

Côte d’Ivoire ALERT: Newspaper fined for publishing results of opinion polls

Vivian Affoah
-
0

The National Press Council (CNP), the print media regulatory body in Côte d’Ivoire, imposed a fine of three million CFA Francs (about US$6,000) on Regie Cyclone Company, publishers of Le Temps, apro-government daily newspaper.

The fine was as a result of the newspaper’s publishing of the results of opinion polls conducted by a research group, Tns-Sofres, on the country’s presidential aspirants in the yet-to-be announced presidential elections in the country.

The CNP sanction was in accordance with Section 5 of Article 39 of the Ministerial Order No. 2008-133 of 14 April 2008 on the amendments to the Post Crisis Electoral Code, which states: “It is prohibited to publish or to broadcast estimates of votes or to conduct opinion polls under whatever form, from whatever place after the publication of the provisional electoral roll”.

The electoral roll was published nationwide on October 2, 2009.

This was not the first time that Le Temps had been fined for a similar offence this year. On April 2, the newspaper was slapped with a fine of one million CFA francs (about.US$2, 000).

Although a date had not been fixed for the country’s presidential election, a research group, Tns-Sofres, had in a series of polls predicted a win for President Laurent Gbagbo.

MFWA was deeply concerned about this repressive law that does not only censor the Ivorian media but also stifles academic freedom. The law denies the public access to scientific research.

We called on the Ivorian authorities to, as a matter of urgency, repeal this law as it hinders free expression in the country.

Gambia UPDATE: Musa Saidykhan’s torture case adjourned to September 21

Vivian Affoah
-
0

The ECOWAS Community Court again adjourned the hearing of Musa Saidykhan’s torture case to September 21, 2010 to enable the Gambian government, the defendant in the case, to respond to amendments filed by the plaintiff.

The adjournment followed a request by Tale Aladi, a Nigerian lawyer, who represented the Gambia authorities, when the case was called on July 8.

Saidykhan’s counsel had filed a motion asking the court for leave to amend their earlier brief. The defence counsel informed the court that they were yet to receive a copy of the amended brief.

The case was adjourned for motion and adoption of written addresses.

Saidykhan, a former editor-in-chief of the banned Banjul-based The Independent newspaper, was among several victims who were illegally detained and suffered all manner of cruelty at the hands of the Gambian security agents in the aftermath of an alleged coup attempt in March 2006.

Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) initiated the action on Saidykhan’s behalf in order to seek justice for him.

Senegal ALERT: Minister’s loyalists assault journalist, threaten him with death

Vivian Affoah
-
0

Najib Sagna, a reporter of the Walf Grand Place, a privately-owned Dakar-based daily newspaper, was reportedly attacked by four assailants including a relative of Madam Coumba Gaye, a Deputy Minister of Justice and Human Rights, in the morning.

The assailants physically attacked Sagna at about 11: 45 GMT, while he was on his way to work.

The attack followed an article Sagna wrote about Madam Gaye in the July 5 edition of the newspaper that the assailants were not pleased with.

The article headlined: “The little Secrets of the little Minister”, said that Madam Gaye had a son with another minister of state in the current government. The article further alleged that the deputy minister had to cut short her studies because of the pregnancy.

Coumba Gaye declined to talk to the journalist before the story appeared in the newspaper.

Sagna said he recognised two of his assailants. “They were Ndeye Gaye, the minister’s sister, and Baye Ndoye, the one who held a microphone during a demonstration that the deputy minster organised last week”, he stated.

The reporter said Ndeye Gaye told him that she had signed his “death warrant” for writing an article about her sister.

Mauritania ALERT: National Assembly adopts bill to free media

Vivian Affoah
-
0

A new media bill that would liberalise the airwaves and insulate the state-owned media in Mauritania from governmental control was adopted by the country’s National Assembly.

According to Hamdi Ould Mahjoub, the country’s Communication and Parliamentary Affairs minister, when the law comes into force it would not only liberalize the electronic media, but also, eliminate the monopoly of the state over public media.

The bill was expected to become a law in about ten months.

The bill which was first read in the National Assembly in 2008 was put on hold following the military Coup d’état on August 6, 2008. Prior to its suspension, a joint Senate-National Assembly Commission was supposed to have been established to amend it.

While commending the government for its resolve in passing this law, MFWA also encouraged them to ensure that they amend other repressive laws that jail journalists and censor the media in Mauritania.

Benin ALERT: Media regulator restricts media

Vivian Affoah
-
0

The Benin’s media regulatory body, the High Authority for Broadcasting and Communication (HAAC), banned the media from publishing or broadcasting what it described as “premature” political campaign materials on the country’s 2011 General Elections.

In a communiqué, HAAC said it would close down or withdraw the operating license of any media organization that violated the directive. The HAAC’s ban was to remain in force until 15 days before the elections when the Electoral Commission is expected to officially declare the campaign open.

Political advertising slots, photographs and manifestos of the various candidates were banned from the media.

The directive further stated that in the case of the electronic media only experts and competent professionals could handle political broadcasts and phone-in programmes. The directive was, however, met with widespread condemnation.

The Benin National Newspapers Owners Association (PNPB) in a statement described the HAAC’s decision as arbitrary and inimical to media freedom, which is the foundation of any democracy. The PNPB said HAAC had no powers to sanction or close down any media.

Two other organizations, the National Council of Owners of the Print and Electronic Media of Benin (CNPA-Benin) and the Union of Media Practitioners of Benin (UPMB), also in a letter to the HAAC, stated that the decision would restrict media practice in the country.

Niger UPDATE: Junta suspends decree targeting foreign media

Vivian Affoah
-
0

The authorities in Niger suspended a June 3, 2010 Decree which the country’s media and civil society groups said would restrict information flow and gag foreign journalists.

Djibo Salou, Head of State of the Transitional Government announced the suspension of the Decree following widespread protests.

The new law had required foreign media outlets and their foreign journalists to seek clearance from the Ministry of Communication, New Technologies and Culture before filming documentaries in that country.

Article 6 of the Decree said: “…anyone applying for authorization to film documentaries and reports must, before entering Niger, be in possession of a copy of the authorization signed by the Minister of Communication”, also “henceforth, any foreign media outfit, production agency, associations or NGO’s that want to do documentaries or reports must pay for them”.

Ghana ALERT: North Star Radio station attacked

Vivian Affoah
-
0

The management of privately-owned North Star, a radio station in Tamale, capital of the Northern region of Ghana, suspended indefinitely members of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) from participating in the station’s programmes.

The management said the suspension was to protect the station from frequent attacks by persons believed to be sympathizers of the NDC.

According to Adams Cockra, the director of North Star, the first attack occurred on June 8 after a newspaper review programme that discussed a demonstration by a faction in an ethnic conflict.

Two royal families in Northern Ghana, the Abudu and Andani have been in a longstanding feud that has divided the two clans across the main political parties in Ghana. The North Star is owned by Alhaji Aliu Mahama, an Abudu and a former Vice President of Ghana during the last administration of Ex-President John Kufuor.

Cockra alleged that the NDC panelist incited the Andanis against the station during the programme, a situation which led to an abrupt end of the programme.

The assailants reportedly attacked the station again on June 9, resulting in the destruction of the glass windows of the station.

Reacting to the allegations, Tanko Computer, northern regional operations director of the NDC distanced the party from the attack, saying their party does not support violence. He said they had met with the station’s management and would also conduct their own investigations into the matter.

In an interview with the Metropolitan Police Commander, ASP Caesar Abanga, he confirmed the attack but said they were unable to blame any particular group because the complainants were not cooperating in the investigations. Cockra, however, dismissed the assertion of the police.

Togo ALERT: Three newspapers in court for criminal defamation

Vivian Affoah
-
0

Three managing editors of privately-owned newspapers in Lome, the capital of Togo would reappear before a Magistrate Court over criminal charges relating to “false publication” and “criminal defamation”.

The journalists, Zeus K. Aziadouvo of Liberté , Jean-Baptiste K. D. Dzilan of Forum de la Semaine and Glakpé K. Olivier of the Journal Le Correcteur had made two appearances in court after they were arraigned on May 19.

The trial of the editors followed a complaint filed by the country’s Inspector General of Police (IGP) over a May 8 publications that the editors carried in their respective newspapers. The newspapers had blamed two policemen of the motor traffic unit of allegedly causing the deaths of a commercial motor rider and his female passenger, after the rider had committed a traffic offence by jumping a traffic light.

The newspapers in their reports quoted unnamed eyewitnesses that accused the police of pushing the rider off a moving bike resulting in his death as well as that of the female passenger.

The police denied the accounts of the newspapers’ sources. The police said the man died as a result of over speeding which resulted in him hitting his head against a pole. The woman passenger, was, however, recovering from a shock.

Senegal ALERT: Police raids newspaper, halts printing

Vivian Affoah
-
0

Plain-clothed policemen in Senegal stormed the printing house of Le Populaire, a Dakar-based independent daily newspaper in the night and halted work on the next issue of the newspaper.

Le Populaire’s printing materials such as plates and newsprints were confiscated by the policemen.

The action of the police was to prevent the newspaper from publishing a petition by Bara Tall, an entrepreneur and a majority shareholder of Comm 7 Group, publishers of Le Populaire.

Tall had in the said petition demanded a probe into a “missing” amount of FCFA 20 billion (about 445 million US$) paid to the government by SUDATEL, a privately-owned telecommunication group, following the granting of the company’s operating license.

When the police stormed the premises, the gate was locked so they went to the home of Pape Diouf , the caretaker of the printing house, picked him up, interrogated him for a while, at the country’s ministry of interior, before being forced to open the office. He was released after writing a statement.

Tall condemned the action of the police saying he was unperturbed and would go ahead to circulate the petition through the internet. The newspaper has since resumed publication.

Gambia ALERT: Authorities block another online newspaper

Vivian Affoah
-
0

The publishers of US-based www.thegambiaecho.com newspaper filed a complaint to the US Government regarding the blocking of its IP address by the Gambian authorities, which makes it impossible for its readers within the country to access the news site.

A letter to the US State Department said: “Jammeh’s blocking of The [Gambia] Echo’s IP signals to our homeland readership, constitutes a flagrant violation of their constitutional right to freedom of press and access to information online …”

The letter signed by Ebrima G. Sankareh , its editor-in-chief said for the past four years “The Gambia Echo” has become a dependable medium for a multitude of Gambians” since the repressive regime of President Yahya Jammeh has effectively restricted the flow of information.

The online newspaper said it received reports from its readers as well as correspondents about their inability to access the website.

Blocking of online news site in the Gambia is not new. The Gambian online newspapers have suffered series of censorships from the authorities. In 2008 for instance,The Gambia Echo and Freedom Newspaper (http://www.freedomnewspaper.com), another online newspaper were blocked for being critical of the administration. In the case of the Freedom Newspaper, it reported on the alleged corruption and mismanagement at the country’s state telecommunication company.

The 15-year rule of President Jammeh has been characterized by torture, disappearance and killings, arbitrary arrests and illegal detention. This situation has forced several journalists working in the independent media into exile. Ebrima G. Sankareh is a victim. He was forced out of the country about 16 years ago, while working with the privately-owned The Point newspaper.

Niger ALERT: Decree targeting foreign media issued

Vivian Affoah
-
0

The transitional government of Niger issued a new media decree, that the country’s media and civil society groups said would restrict the flow of information and undermine the work of foreign media outlets and their journalists.

The decree signed by the country’s Minister of Communications, New Technologies and Culture, Madam Tacoubakoye Aminata, requireed foreign journalists and media outlets to seek clearancefrom her ministry and pay a huge non refundable fee before visiting the country to undertake films and documentaries.

Additionally, the decree also ordered foreign media outlets to deposit original copies of their final works with the Communication Directorate of the Ministry.

Article 6 of the Decree said: “…anyone applying for authorisation to film documentaries and reports must, before entering Niger, be in possession of a copy of the authorization signed by the Minister of Communication”, also “henceforth, any foreign media outfit, production agency, associations or NGO’s that want to do documentaries or reports must pay for them”. Television stations or production agencies and radio stations would pay FCFA two million (about 3,704US$) and one million FCFA (about US$ 1,852) respectively, while newspapers would pay FCFA 500,000 (about US$956) each. These fees do not exempt them from existing taxes, duties and levies.

“These new measures are a true obstruction of access to the right of public information in Niger. It is a setback for democracy…” Boubacar Diallo, the President of Nigerien Association of Private Newspaper Publishers said.

In another development, the National Communications Observatory (ONC), the organ responsible for media self regulation in Niger, on June 14 authorised the reopening of privately-owned Sahara FM. The station is based in Agadez, a town in the northern part of Niamey, the capital and was closed down on April 21, 2008 by the regime of President Mamadou Tandja. The closure followed an accusation of “disseminating information likely to incite hatred”. The authorities claimed that Sahara FM was undermining the morale of the country’s military during its fight against the Tuareg’s Mouvement des Nigériens pour la Justice (MNJ).

Ghana ALERT: State-owned newspaper photographer assaulted

Vivian Affoah
-
0

Rockson Asmah, a senior photographer of the state-owned Daily Graphicnewspaper was assaulted at the premises of the Accra District Juvenile Court by a 39 year-old business woman, Celestine Owusu.

A photograph of Asmah in the June 4 issue of the Daily Graphic showed the maltreated photographer looking depressed and wearing the torn shirt and singlet destroyed by the businesswoman.

Celestine Owusu, who was at the centre of a controversy over a six-month old baby, also forced Asmah to delete the photos he had taken.

In an interview with Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Asmah said, he was at the court premises, when he heard Celestine Owusu asking him to take photographs of her. He obliged only for the woman to pounce on him.

Asmah said the family members of Owusu joined in the attack, but were prevented by the police personnel present. He was taken into protective custody, for about 45 minutes, at the chamber of the judge presiding over the woman’s case.

He filed a complaint at the Accra Central Police station.

1...115116117...131Page 116 of 131

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Latest insightful articles delivered straight to your inbox

The Media Foundation for West Africa works to promote freedom of expression, press freedom, access to information, internet freedom and media development throughout the 16 countries in the West Africa region–that is the 15 member states of ECOWAS and Mauritania.

Quick Links

Contact Us

Address

Aar-Bakor Street, Ogbojo, Accra, Ghana, West Africa

Telephone

+233 302 555327 | +233 302 955213

Email

info [@] mfwa.org

© 2025 | The Media Foundation for West Africa