3 September 2010

Alert

President files more defamation suits against two newspapers


Incident details

Lawsuit

L'Indépendant Expres, Newspaper
Liberté, Newspaper

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(MFWA/IFEX) - On 30 August 2010, Togo's President, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, filed three more defamation suits against two privately-owned newspapers.

Two of the suits were brought against the weekly "L'Indépendant Express". This brings to three the number of cases that President Gnassingbé has launched against "L'Indépendant Express" since 18 August.

The Media Foundation for West Africa's (MFWA) correspondent in Togo reported that these latest suits followed two articles that "L'Indépendant Express" published on 3 and 24 August accusing the administration of mismanagement and corruption.

The correspondent said President Gnassingbé brought another suit against "Liberté" newspaper over a 3 August article headlined: "Handling of state affairs in Togo". The article claimed that sex influences the management of the affairs of Togo.

Meanwhile, the earlier case against "L'Indépendant Express" has been adjourned to 29 September 2010.


Source:

Media Foundation for West Africa
PO Box LG 730
30 Duade Street, Kokomlemle
Legon, Accra
Ghana
alerts (@) mediafound.org
Phone: +233 302 242470
Fax: +233 302 221084
 

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More on this case

President withdraws defamation charges against three newspapers 1 October 2010 President Gnassingbé launches defamation lawsuit against newspaper 24 August 2010

Togo

RSF condemns exorbitant damages award against weekly 7 November 2011 Banned magazine back on sale amid tension over media freedom 29 August 2011 Police clamp down on demonstrators 15 August 2011 Regulatory authority closes down another radio station 18 March 2011 News magazine's appeal hearing adjourned, ban remains in place 11 February 2011 See all alerts: Togo


 
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