Ferdinand Ayity and Joël Egah, who lead to critical newspapers of power, were placed under a warrant for “defamation and contempting to the authority”.
Le Monde with AFP
Amnesty International denounced, Monday, December 13, the “arbitrary detention” of two critical Togolese journalists vis-à-vis the power, arrested for their remarks in a broadcast on the Internet, and required their “immediate” release.
Ferdinand Ayity and Joël Egah, respectively publication directors of the Bihemy the alternative and the weekly fraternity, were placed under filing mandate on Friday for “defamation and contempting to the authority”, after complaints of two ministers .
A third journalist, who also participated in the show, was heard by the judge and placed under judicial review.
“The arbitrary detention of Ferdinand journalists Ayity and Joël Egah is an infringement of their right to freedom of expression. The authorities seek to silence the critical voices towards power,” denounced Fabien Offer, researcher on the West Africa in Amnesty International.
According to him, the two journalists were “detained only for the purpose of the issue” the other newspaper “, broadcast on YouTube”, in which “they criticized two ministers of the current government”. “The remarks held by these two journalists,” he continues, should not base their arrest or penal prosecution. “
Suspension
In this West African country, the press organs are regularly suspended by the High Authority of Audiovisual and Communication (HAAC) as a result of criticism against power.
President Faure Gnassingbé came to power in 2005 after the death of his father, General Gnassingbé Eyadema, who had led the Togo of an iron hand for thirty-eight years. It has been re-elected during votes that have all been challenged by the opposition.
The alternative and fraternity are critical newspapers vis-à-vis power. The alternative was suspended in February for four months by HAAC, in a file involving the current Minister of Urbanism Koffi Tsolenyanu.
In March 2020, this newspaper had already sentenced to two months of suspension after a complaint from the former Ambassador of France to Togo, Marc Vizy.
The Fraternity newspaper was also suspended in March 2020 for two months, following an article denouncing the suspension of two other newspapers.