Foreign media will once again be able to obtain accreditation to cover events and activities in Togo starting from June 26th. This announcement was made by the High Authority for Audiovisual and Communication (HAAC) in a recent statement.
According to the information note signed by Pitalounani Telou, “the suspension of accreditation for foreign press bodies covering news and events in Togo is lifted” as of that date.
The official statement specifies that any accreditation request must be submitted to the president of the HAAC at least 15 days before the start of the event, except in urgent cases.
Accreditation will be granted on the condition that the media outlet designates a professional journalist or media technician specifically for this assignment as a special correspondent. Additionally, this accreditation is limited to the duration of the event and does not exempt the holder from obtaining access authorization from the event organizer.
For context, the HAAC had suspended the issuance of these accreditations to foreign media during the regional and legislative elections. This decision followed the arrest and expulsion of a French journalist, who was accused by Togolese authorities of illegally crossing the border and acting as an activist.