Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on the Bangui authorities to restore access to two Central African news sites, which have been suspended since February last year, by decision of the Minister of Post and Telecommunications. These are the “Corbeaux News” and “Le Tsunami” websites.
In a statement dated February 16, which RFI could consult, the minister ordered Internet operators to block access to these two websites “for the time being” and accused them of “spreading hate speech” and false information., Without further clarification on the disputed articles.
Contacted by our correspondent in the Central African Republic, Florence Morice, RSF Africa manager Arnaud Froger, condemns an arbitrary decision, in violation of the procedures in force in the country:
“Firstly, a Minister, whatever he may be, may unilaterally, without any applicable legal procedure, decide to suspend two news sites, without even justifying his decision to do so precisely, by circumventing the media regulator, which has the sole power to take such action. of decisions that have absolutely not been consulted that we have been able to verify, and without even informing the sites in this regard. question. “
Arnaud Froger also questions the reasons that led to this order from the Minister: “Then we can in principle also ask the reason why these two news sites have been shut down while the Central African Republic is thrown into a resurgence of violence… And indeed these two places and, it is these suspects for their two leaders, these two places have largely documented both the presence and the abuses allegedly committed by Russian paramilitary groups present in the Central African Republic.And the Central Africans, I would even say the rest of the world, need to know what happening in this country in this difficult context with the attack from this coalition of derebels and also an electoral process that was complicated and questioned ”.
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