- A Chadian court is expected to rule on Thursday on the fate of a privately owned weekly, La Voix, after the authorities seized the paper in a bid to gag it, the newspaper’s lawyer Jean-Bernard Padare said.
In December Chadian authorities ordered the seizure of all publications of the newspaper, on the grounds that it broke administrative rules. Chadian authorities then stressed the absence of the managing editor as the error the paper made.
The authorities expelled the editor Innocent Ebodé for allegedly staying in the country illegally.
Last week, the state deputy prosecutor asked the court to order the withdrawal of the provisional seizure of La Voix and the bench announced that it would rule this week.
Launched in May 2009, La Voix employs a staff of 10 and has a print run of 2,000 copies, which is a large number in the deeply poor central African country.
The latest spat with the government is reportedly as a result of the newspaper article carried out on the front page of the paper on 13 October headlined: “Purchase of weapons in France: Chad spends 8.5 billions CFA francs,” based on official information released by the French defence ministry, revealing that Chad had become France’s second biggest customer for military weapons.
Reporters without Borders called on President Biya to use his influence to end practices that are undermining the free flow of information, further pleading with the government to bring defamation laws in line with international standards by eliminating criminal penalties.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
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