The Togolese High Authority of Audiovisual and Communication (HAAC) has issued a warning to France 24 for what it describes as an unfair presentation of information and dissemination of false news concerning the Sylvanus Olympio University Hospital (CHU SO) in Lomé.
In a letter dated June 27, 2024, addressed to the Director-General of France 24, HAAC accuses the channel of broadcasting a report on June 25 in its Africa edition titled “Maternity Wards Facing Shortage of Medical Staff” without authorization from CHU SO and presenting “materially false and unverified facts.”
HAAC specifically alleges that France 24 did not seek accreditation for filming the report, lacks permanent correspondents in Togo, and broadcasted inaccurate information about CHU SO and Togo.
The authority points to the case of Emmanuelle Sodji, purportedly France 24’s regional correspondent in Togo, who was denied accreditation in 2020 due to “serious misconduct in reporting events in Togo.”
HAAC has given France 24 seven days to correct its report and adhere to “international journalistic standards.”
If France 24 fails to comply with this deadline, HAAC, led by Pitalounani Telou, threatens to “suspend France 24’s broadcasting rights in the national territory.”
It remains to be seen whether the Paris based media will comply with HAAC’s demands, especially given the substantial backing of its report by witnesses at the hospital.