Togolese newspaper Liberté regains its freedom

The decision of the High Authority for Audiovisual and Communication (HAAC) suspending the Togolese newspaper Liberté for 3 months is canceled by the administrative chamber of the Supreme Court in a verdict Thursday after a hearing.

After deliberation, the institution repeals the 3-month sanction of Liberté. Pending a statement of the decision of the Supreme Court to better situate itself on this decision, the Togolese daily newspaper has the right to appear. Meanwhile, the suspension of Tampa Express is maintained.

The ban on the publication of Liberté and Tampa Express had been decided by the HAAC following a letter from the Attorney General of the Republic to the Court of Appeal.

The media regulatory body had not given the reasons for its suspension decision against the 2 newspapers. But it was common ground that Liberté sanction was linked to a publication relating to a traffic accident between which had resulted in the death of a young man.

The judges considered that the decision of the HAAC to suspend the newspaper for having defended The Guardian lacked legal basis.

Initially a weekly, Liberté, which suffered several sanctions, first became a bi-weekly in December 2005, then a tri-weekly in 2007 before achieving its status as a daily since August 31, 2009.