In Togo, RFI and France 24 Suspended for Three Months

Broadcasts of Radio France Internationale (RFI) and the France 24 television channel have been suspended in Togo for three months, the country's media regulator announced on Monday, June 16.

In its decision, of which Agence France-Presse has obtained a copy, the High Authority for Audiovisual and Communication (HAAC) of Togo points to three reports or interventions, including the broadcast on France 24 of an interview in which "inaccurate statements were made about the alleged conditions in which the artist Aamron was arrested." This rapper, a critic of the government, had notably called for demonstrations before being arrested at the end of May, then reappearing on June 5 in a video shot in a psychiatric hospital in which he apologized to Mr. Gnassingbé.

The regulatory body also notes the "public positions taken by the regional correspondent of France 24 calling for mobilization against republican institutions" , and the comments relayed in the newspaper Afrique and in an RFI column "presenting a tendentious nature" .

RFI and France 24 reacted
The HAAC adds that this suspension measure "follows repeated failings, already reported and formally recalled, in matters of impartiality, rigor and verification of facts . " "Pluralism of opinions does not authorize the dissemination of untruths or the partial presentation of current events. Freedom of the press cannot be synonymous with disinformation or interference ," the institution continues.

In a press release, RFI and France 24 said they were "surprised to learn" of their suspension, which "comes in a context of sustained and constructive dialogue between the Togolese regulatory authority and the media of France Médias Monde ," their parent company, denying that it is doing journalism "in compliance with the provisions of the agreement signed between the HAAC and France Médias Monde. In this spirit, the management of the two media outlets are taking up the HAAC's invitation to a concerted discussion in order to remove any misunderstanding and be able to continue their information mission in the country."