Benin Media Regulator Suspends La Gazette du Golfe for Coverage of Niger Coup

Benin’s media regulator, Haute autorité de l’audiovisuel et de la communication (HAAC), has suspended operations of the pan-African press group La Gazette du Golfe, including its flagship outlets Golfe TV and Golfe Radio. The suspension, effective from August 8, 2023, comes amid accusations that the media organization justified the July 26, 2023 coup d’état in neighboring Niger.

The HAAC argued that the media group’s coverage of the Niger situation amounted to condoning the coup, violating both the HAAC's Code of Information and Communication and the Code of Ethics for journalism. The regulator had previously issued a statement on August 3, urging media professionals to be more responsible in their coverage, especially concerning the glorification of coups in Africa.

La Gazette du Golfe has appealed the decision to Benin’s Constitutional Court, arguing that the suspension violates the country's constitution, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights. The media group’s legal team, including prominent lawyers Angelo L. Adelakoun and Romaric Zinsou, has questioned how the publication’s analyses could be construed as supporting a coup.

The decision has sparked outrage within Benin’s press community. The Union of Media Professionals of Benin (UPMB) expressed concerns that the suspension undermines press freedom. “The role of the media is to inform, analyze, and stimulate public debate. Ignoring a significant issue like the situation in Niger undermines this role,” said UPMB President Zakiath Latoundji.

The Observatoire de Déontologie et de l’Éthique dans les Médias (ODEM) also condemned the suspension, calling it disproportionate and an infringement on citizens' right to information. ODEM argued that the decision violated Benin’s commitment to democratic principles and the protection of press freedom.

The suspension of La Gazette du Golfe is seen by critics as a step backward for press freedom in Benin, signaling an increasing restriction on media independence in the country.