Togo: Media Gagged by New Law

Togo’s parliament has passed a new law that allows the government to seize media equipment and suspend a publication for six months upon the issuance of a public ban on the owning media house.

Media activists in Togo have criticized the new law, saying that it aims at impeding the country’s freedom of press ahead of upcoming presidential elections in March 2010.

Gabriel Baglo, the Africa Director of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), said the law gives the government too much power to muzzle journalists.

The IFJ has urged the Togolese government to abolish the law before next year’s elections to allow freedom of communication. [GR]