Today's edition of Côte d'Ivoire's popular "Fraterniré Matin" never hit the streets

© Facsimile/afrol News

afrol News, 11 March - No newspapers were distributed today in Côte d'Ivoire, after pro-Gbagbo troops raided the country's sole newspaper distributor. Journalists and media are increasingly targeted.

Members of the Defence and Security Forces (FDS), loyal to outgoing President Laurent Gbagbo, raided the offices of country's only newspaper distributor, Edipresse, at around 5 AM today and prevented employees from distributing newspapers that support Gbagbo's rival, elected President Alassane Ouattara, regardless of the lack of any order from the National Press Council, which regulates the print media.

A subsidiary of the French company Presstalis, Edipresse decided jointly with its retailers not to sell any newspapers at all today in protest against the raid and as a safety measure.

According to the Paris-based media watchdog Reporters sans Frontières (RSF), also the Abidjan headquarters of the Abidjan.net website decided to suspend operations today, after receiving threats.

According to Ivorian media sources, the protracted political impasse is creating "an extremely grave if not impossible situation" for journalists and news media in the country.

As Côte d'Ivoire seems to head steadily towards civil war, with casualties every day, journalists are being exposed to threats, arrests and reprisals, and often have to risk lives to report in some neighbourhoods. Especially pro-Gbagbo forces seem to be targeting journalists and media.

Two journalists are currently detained in Côte d'Ivoire, while one media worker has been killed in the past two weeks. The detainees are Abou Sanogo and Gnahoré Charly of 'Télé Notre Patrie' (TVNP), who were arrested on 28 January and are being held in the main Abidjan prison.

Marcel Legré, a printing press worker at 'La Refondation', the company that publishes the pro-Gbagbo daily 'Notre Voie', was hacked and clubbed to death on 28 February in the south Abidjan district of Koumassi.

By staff writer

© afrol News

Tweet

Printable version

On the Afrol News front page now

UN will not monitor human rights in Western Sahara afrol News - The US has backed down on its demand that UN peacekeepers in Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara also shall monitor the human rights situation after Moroccan sources threatened to scale down relations with Washington. Read more

Central African Republic

Central African Republic falling apart afrol News - One month after the rebel movement Séléka took over power in the Central African Republic, unrest is spreading in the country. The new leader lacks control of his forces, which continue looting and abusing civilians. Read more

Kenya

Kenyatta secures tight victory in Kenya afrol News - The official election results in Kenya have finally been announced, and Uhuru Kenyatta managed to win the first poll round outright with a narrow 50.7 percent. But the main opponent, PM Raila Odinga, is filing a vote rigging complaint to the courts. Read more

Cape Verde Cape Verde to produce dragon fruit afrol News - Cape Verde authorities have invested large sums to diversify the arid country's agricultural sector. Now, the dragon fruit, originating in tropical America, is being introduced for the first commercial production in Africa. Read more

Egypt Even governors in Pharaonic Egypt died in their 20s afrol News - Researchers have analysed more than 200 mummies from ancient Egypt, finding that even high dignitaries were poorly nourished and had infectious diseases. The typical governor in Pharaonic Egypt died before he was 30 years old. Read more