Togo ALERT: Newspaper banned over registration irregularities

The High Authority for Broadcasting and Communication (HAAC), the statutory media regulatory body on July 16, 2012 banned privately-owned monthly newspaper, La Nouvelle, from appearing due to an irregularity.

The Media Foundation for West Africa’s (MFWA) correspondent reported that the newspaper which remains banned was questioned about its legitimacy to operate, by the regulatory body.

The HAAC in a communiqué issued on July 16 explained that they had on three occasions invited the newspaper for a meeting but to no avail.

According to the correspondent, La Nouvelle which is managed by Bonero Lawson-Bentum, an opposition sympathizer has also been accused of flouting provisions of Article 25 of the Press and Communication code.

The regulatory body accused the newspaper of a July 15 publication which “contained false information, calls for ethnic and religious hatred, invasion of privacy, slander and insults.”

The correspondent said owing to these accusations and in particular the issue of the authenticity of its registration, the newspaper has been banned.

Source: MFWA