Ivory Coast

New York, August 25, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by a threat by the head of Ivory Coast's armed forces to ban newspapers that fail to work "in the interests of the nation."

General Philippe Mangou summoned local journalists on Wednesday and told them to check their sources and avoid hate speech. He also warned them to be patriotic, according to local and international news reports.

AUGUST 24, 2005
Posted September 8, 2005

All newspapers
THREATENED

At a meeting with local journalists the head of Ivory Coast's armed forces threatened to ban newspapers that fail to work "in the interests of the nation." General Philippe Mangou told journalists to check their sources and avoid hate speech. He also warned them to be patriotic, according to local and international news reports.

JULY 27, 2005
Posted: August 17, 2005

Radiodiffusion Télévision Ivoirienne (RTI)
HARASSED, CENSORED
A group of armed, uniformed soldiers stormed the Abidjan offices of state broadcaster Radiodiffusion Télévision Ivoirienne (RTI) and instructed directors not to broadcast footage of opposition members, according to CPJ sources and local news reports. The soldiers identified themselves as members of the Republican Guard but refused to give their names.

AUGUST 2005
Posted September 8, 2005

Eddy Péhé, Le Nouveau RéveilTHREATENED

Péhé, editor of pro-opposition daily Le Nouveau Réveil, told CPJ that he had received death threats over the phone from anonymous callers who accused him of supporting the rebels that have controled the northern half of Ivory Coast since 2002. Péhé said he believed the threats were related to his work. He said he had informed government and UN authorities but that nothing had been done so far to ensure his security.

New York, July 28, 2005—A group of armed, uniformed soldiers yesterday stormed the Abidjan offices of state broadcaster Radiodiffusion Télévision Ivoirienne (RTI) and instructed directors not to broadcast footage of opposition members, according to CPJ sources and local news reports. The soldiers identified themselves as members of the Republican Guard but refused to give their names, the sources reported.

JULY 25, 2005
Posted: July 28, 2005

Le Patriote, 24 Heures, Le Jour Plus, Le Front, Nord-Sud Quotidien, Dernières Nouvelles d'Abidjan, Le Nouveau Réveil, and Dernière Heure.
HARASSED, CENSORED, THREATENED

JULY 26, 2005
Posted: July 28, 2005

José Stéphane Koudou, Le Jour Plus
ATTACKED

Supporters of the ruling Front Populaire Ivoirien (FPI) party brutally assaulted Koudou, a political reporter for the private daily Le Jour Plus, according to local sources. The attack occurred as Koudou was reporting on a press conference planned by the youth wing of an alliance of opposition parties in the commercial capital, Abidjan.

New York, July 26, 2005—Pro-government militia forcibly disrupted the distribution of private newspapers around the administrative capital Abidjan yesterday, threatening the papers and forcing some to evacuate their premises, according to local sources. Two dailies, Le Nouveau Réveil and Dernière Heure, failed to publish today.

Monday morning, militia known as Young Patriots entered Edipresse, the sole distributor of private newspapers, saying that pro-opposition papers were forbidden, CPJ sources said. They proceeded to destroy hundreds of copies, including those of the dailies Le Patriote, 24 Heures, Le Jour Plus, Le Front, Nord-Sud Quotidien, Dernières Nouvelles d'Abidjan, Le Nouveau Réveil, and Dernière Heure.

JULY 15, 2005
Posted: July 18, 2005

Radio France Internationale
CENSORED

A media regulatory agency ordered Radio France Internationale (RFI) to halt its FM broadcasts in Ivory Coast until it retracted two disputed reports and paid a fine. The order was the latest incident pitting Ivoirian authorities against the France-based public broadcaster, whom President Laurent Gbagbo's supporters accuse of being biased against the government. RFI's Paris headquarters issued a statement protesting the suspension, and defending its news coverage.

New York, July 15, 2005—A media regulatory agency has ordered Radio France Internationale (RFI) to halt its broadcasts in Ivory Coast until it retracts two disputed reports and pays a fine. The order is the latest incident pitting Ivoirian authorities against the France-based public broadcaster, whom President Laurent Gbagbo's supporters accuse of being biased against the government. RFI's Paris headquarters issued a statement today protesting the suspension, and defending its news coverage.