CPJ expresses "grave concern" at proposed press laws

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has said it is "alarmed" at the recently proposed legislation to amend Togo's "already repressive" press laws. In a letter to the Togolese President Gnassingbe Eyadema dated 28 August, CPJ expressed "grave concern" that Togo continues to slide towards becoming West Africa's worst press freedom abuser. "The bill, put forward a week ago by your cabinet, proposes heavy prison sentences for 'defaming or insulting' you, state institutions, courts, the armed forces, and public administration bodies," CPJ said. The proposed amendment would increase the penalty for "insulting the Head of State" from the current penalty of six months imprisonment to a "one to five-year jail term with no parole and a fine or one to five million cfa francs (about US $1,480 to $7,400)". In addition, the bill introduces penalties ranging from three months to two years jail term for "insulting the National Assembly speaker, the prime minister, parliamentarians, government members, and constitutional institutions". Further penalties are a three-year jail term for defamation of "courts, tribunals, the armed forces, security forces, constituent bodies, and the public administration". The current law provides for a three-month jail term, CPJ added. "CPJ has written to your Excellency on two different occasions to voice alarm about press freedom violations in Togo and to register our opposition to the laws that govern the media in your country. In May 2000 we expressed concern that the new harsh press laws would greatly inhibit the flow of information in Togo, a fear that we realised soon after the laws went into effect." The group added that over the past two years it had documented numerous instances of government officials seizing newspaper print runs, harassing and jailing journalists, and shutting media outlets whose coverage displeased the government. "This crackdown has taken place amid widespread allegations of human rights abuses by Your Excellency's regime," it said. "CPJ fears that the proposed amendments will further hamper Togolese journalists' ability to report the news at a time when the nation is going through a major social unrest with far-reaching consequences for its economic development and political future." "We therefore urge you to do everything within your power to repeal the Press Code of 2000, to stop interfering with vital work of independent news organisations, and to allow journalists in Togo to practice their profession without fear of criminal prosecution or outrageous fines," it said. Last week, the international press freedom watchdog Reporters sans frontieres (RSF) protested against the proposed code saying it showed the government's willingness to clamp down on the media.