(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders voices its support for the newspaper editors who have decided to cease publication for two weeks, starting on 21 April 2009, in solidarity with the daily “L’Hirondelle”. The newspaper was suspended by the High Council for Communication (HCC) for two weeks from 20 April for publishing an article on 2 […]
(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders voices its support for the newspaper editors who have decided to cease publication for two weeks, starting on 21 April 2009, in solidarity with the daily “L’Hirondelle”. The newspaper was suspended by the High Council for Communication (HCC) for two weeks from 20 April for publishing an article on 2 April allegedly “calling for sedition by the armed forces.”
According to the HCC, “L’Hirondelle” violated article 29 of the communication law that forbids journalists to jeopardise the Central African Republic’s sovereignty.
This is the second time the HCC has suspended a newspaper this year. “Le Citoyen”, another daily, was suspended in January for a month. The country’s other newspapers reacted in a similar fashion then, cancelling issues in protest.
“The repeated suspension of newspapers in the Central African Republic is disturbing,” Reporters Without Borders said. “We urge President François Bozizé to guarantee respect for diversity of views.”
