CIVICUS, the global alliance of civil society organisations, condemns the decision by the governments of Benin and Burkina Faso to suspend media outlets over their coverage of the recent coup in Niger. On 8 August 2023, La Haute Autorité de l'Audiovisuel et de la Communication (HAAC), a commission responsible for the management and development of public information and communication in Benin, suspended Gulf Media Group , a private media house that owns Golfe Fm, Golfe TV, and the weekly Gazette du Golfe. Their digital channels have also been suspended from airing any information. The Media Group was suspended following their reports on the political situation in Niger after the coup that overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum.
Similarly, on 10 August 2023, Burkina Faso suspended Radio Oméga, a privately owned outlet, accused of airing an interview with ‘insulting’ remarks against the new Nigerien authorities.
The suspension of these media outlets undermines press freedom and independent media as a foundation of democratic and accountable governance.
In particular, the suspension of the Gulf Media Group, violates the preamble and articles 7 and 142 of the Beninese constitution, which outline Benin’s commitment to democratic values, the right and public access to information, and the protection of the press that the HAAC itself should guarantee.
All governments have the duty to protect the right to freedom of expression and information. However, these suspensions clearly infringe on these fundamental rights and it is a matter of great concern.
“Gulf Media Group is one of the few independent media houses with several outlets that speak courageously about governance, democracy, and human rights issues affecting the people of Benin and West Africa region despite the prevailing hostile environment for the media. Beninese authorities should immediately reverse this decision and allow Gulf Media Group with all its outlets and programmes to resume their work unconditionally, and the media regulator must stop attempts to censor content of privately owned media outlets. In the same light, the government of Burkina Faso needs to uphold media rights and stop targeting journalists and media organisations for doing their job." Said Paul Mulindwa, CIVICUS Advocacy and Campaigns Officer.
Background
Following the 26 July 2023 coup d'état that occurred in the Republic of the Niger that deposed President Mohamed Bazoum by the country's presidential guard, the Beninese media regulator (HAAC), on August 3, through a press release warned the media against biased treatment, reporting and covering of the political situation in Niger. The media regulator expressly warned the media actors to avoid advocating or publishing information that support the coups d'etat, which are qualified as crimes by the Constitution of Benin. He noted that violators should expect penalties.
In Burkina Faso, press freedom has been on the decline since the second military coup. According to the CIVICUS Monitor, press freedom violations have escalated at an alarming pace. In the past few months, two media outlets were suspended, foreign correspondents were expelled and journalist subjected to threats, including death threats, smear campaigns and attacks.
The CIVICUS Monitor, an online platform that tracks threats to civil society in countries across the globe, rates civic space – the space for civil society – in Benin as repressed and Burkina Faso as Obstructed.
