2023-09-08 13:33:49
They accuse the General Directorate of Communication of the Presidency of the Republic of practices that hinder press freedom.
Five days following the resumption of the newspaper Alwidha Infos suspended for insulting the Head of State, the anger of the umbrella organizations of the Chadian media has not subsided. In a manifesto published this Friday, September 8, they decided to suspend media coverage of presidential activities.
Chadian private media organizations accuse the General Directorate of Communication of the Presidency of the Republic (DGCOM/PR) of practices that hinder press freedom.
First grievance, the owners of Chadian private media accuse the DGCOM/PR of acts of violence and intimidation during presidential activities. According to them, journalists from private media are often assaulted by security forces on orders from the DGCOM/PR. Recently, during the suspension of the newspaper Alwidha Infos, its reporters were prevented by elements of the presidential guard from covering an activity in Faya-Largeau.
They also index unjustified restrictions from the DGCOM/PR. According to private media bosses, the DGCOM/PR imposed a restriction on access to images and information from the Presidency. “ This hinders our duty to independently and fairly inform the Chadian public », They write in the manifesto.
Information professionals working in the private sector accuse the presidency’s communications department of partisan selection. For the latter, the DGCOM/PR is partial towards certain media in the distribution of access badges to Presidency activities.
The latest accusation is that the bosses of the private press accuse the DGCOM/PR of threats and blackmail linked to copyright. In fact, the DGCOM/PR prevents any private media from using the images produced by it.
In view of these practices, the umbrella organizations of the private press announce the suspension of all collaboration with the DGCOM/PR until concrete measures are taken to guarantee their security and their access to public information.
On August 26, the publishing director of the newspaper Alwidha Infos, Djimet Wiché, accused the Presidential Communications Director, Hassan Bouyebri, of being behind the suspension of his newspaper. He affirmed during this interview that “his relations with the DGCOM are execrable”.
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