MARCH 14, 2008
Posted April 22, 2008
Croissance Saine Environnement
CENSORED
Gabon’s state-run National Communications Council indefinitely suspended Croissance Saine Environnement, a monthly newspaper published by a local environmental advocacy group of the same name, in connection with a series of stories critical of a government official, according to news reports and local journalists.
The ruling was linked to a series of stories published since last year critical of the management of Antoine Yalanzèle, the director general of Gabon’s National Social Security Fund (known by its French acronym, CNSS), according to local journalists. The stories, copies of which were obtained by CPJ, detailed various allegations of corruption, nepotism and mismanagement by Yalanzèle. In response, the official filed a defamation complaint against the paper, according to local journalists.
In an official statement quoted by the local media, the council said the paper would remain banned until Moulombi presented proof of his allegations.