L’Alternative journalists sentenced to three years’ imprisonment in Togo
A court has sentenced two journalists in Togo to three years’ imprisonment.
Their lawyer revealed this during the week.
Ferdinand Ayite and Kokou Kouwonou (also known as Isidore Kouwonou), director and editor of the biweekly newspaper L’Alternative, respectively, were charged in December 2021 with public contempt of authority and propagating falsehoods on social media.
The charges followed complaints by Justice Minister Pius Kokouvi Agbetomey and Commerce Minister Kodjo Adedze over a YouTube broadcast.
On Wednesday, a court in Lome “sentenced Ferdinand Ayite and Isidore Kouwonou to three years in prison and handed down a $4,900 fine to each,” said their lawyer Elom Kpade.
Rights groups often accuse President Faure Gnassingbe of cracking down on opposition figures and journalists.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has denounced the sentencing.
“Togolese authorities should immediately cease their legal harassment of journalists Ferdinand Ayite and Isidore Kouwonou and allow them to work freely,” said Angela Quintal, the CPJ’s Africa program coordinator.
Ms Quintal added, “Journalistic commentary on issues of public interest should never be criminalised, and the summonses issued to these journalists should be scrapped at once.”
The journalists are currently in hiding.
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