In a 20 April 1995 letter, the Minister of the Interior of Gabon ordered the head of the national printing press to cease printing the newspapers “Le Bucheron” and “La Griffe”. The Minister justified his decision by explaining that “`Le Bucheron’ has reprinted information from newspapers we have explicitly banned from distribution in our territory […]
In a 20 April 1995 letter, the Minister of the Interior of Gabon
ordered the head of the national printing press to cease printing
the newspapers “Le Bucheron” and “La Griffe”. The Minister
justified his decision by explaining that “`Le Bucheron’ has
reprinted information from newspapers we have explicitly banned
from distribution in our territory as a way of going around this
order.” He added, “`La Griffe’…cleverly published, without
proof and with willful intent, attacks that have nothing to do
with its mandate to inform, even less with educating or
entertaining.”
The ban follows a series of articles and caricatures on the
Smalto scandal (the Italian tailor who is currently on trial in
France for allegedly setting up a prostitution ring whose clients
are said to include President Bongo. The Minister of the Interior
affirms that “due to the severity of the situation, and the
discredit which the newspapers have brought upon the public image
of the country,” he found himself obliged to put a protective ban
on “the publication and circulation of the newpapers `Le
Bucheron’ and `La Griffe'”.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the authorities below:
jurisdiction of the Minister of the Interior, but rather under
the National Council of Communications, as was the case recently
in the 16 March 1995 decision on the banning under similar
circumstances of “L’Effort”
be taken to respect the law and see that it is followed
“La Griffe”
Appeals To
His Excellency Albert Bernard Omar Bongo
President
Box 546
Libreville, Gabon
Minister of Communications
Ministry of Communications
Libreville, Gabon
