African Nation Halts French Media

(MENAFN) Togo has decided to suspend the operations of France 24 and Radio France Internationale (RFI), two French government-backed media platforms, for a duration of three months.

Authorities accuse the broadcasters of repeatedly breaching journalistic norms, notably failing to uphold “impartiality, rigor, and verification of facts.”

The announcement came from the West African nation's media oversight body, the High Authority for Audiovisual and Communication (HAAC), on Monday.

According to HAAC, several recent broadcasts by the two networks had the potential to disturb public peace and jeopardize the integrity of the country's institutions.

“Several recent broadcasts have relayed inaccurate, biased, and even factually inconsistent statements, undermining the stability of republican institutions and the country’s image,” the regulator stated.

This development arises in the context of political unrest tied to constitutional amendments passed in May.

These reforms granted President Faure Gnassingbe the title of President of the Council of Ministers – a non-elected role without a time limit.

Both RFI and France 24 had been reporting on opposition-led demonstrations that criticized the move as a “constitutional coup” and accused the administration of attempting to prolong Gnassingbe’s leadership indefinitely.

Togo’s communications authority noted that it had previously cautioned the French broadcasters during debates over last year’s constitutional changes, citing “unfair treatment of information” and the “dissemination of false news about the country.”

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