Africa-Press – Senegal. The Minister of Communication, Telecommunications and Digital Economy, Moussa Bocar Thiam, said on Friday June 9 that he had suspended the programs of the television channel of the private group Wal Fadjri for a period of thirty days.
In a decision published the same day, Mr. Thiam mentions “the suspension of the broadcasting of Wal Fadjri group programs for thirty days, during the period from Thursday June 1, 2023 at 3 p.m. to Saturday July 1 , 2023 at 15 hours ».
« In the event of a repeat offence, after the resumption of broadcasting of the Wal Fadjri group’s programs, in accordance with the regulations, the authorization [of audiovisual exploitation] could be subject to a definitive withdrawal, » he said. he warned.
Moussa Bocar Thiam accuses the private group of having broadcast “images of violence exposing adolescents”.
He argues that « as part of the broadcast [of] tensions in Senegal, on June 1, 2023 , the Wal Fadjri group kept broadcasting images of violence exposing adolescents on a loop.
“These images are accompanied by remarks […] inciting violence and clearly undermining state security,” argued Mr. Thiam.
The Convention of Young Reporters of Senegal (CJRS), one of the main journalists’ organizations in Senegal, “strongly condemns the suspension of Walf TV’s signal”.
La CJRS dénonce ‘’une mesure excessive et inadmissible’’, en même temps qu’elle ‘’apporte un soutien sans réserve au groupe Wal Fadjri et marque sa solidarité aux employés’’ de ladite entreprise de presse.
‘’La Convention des jeunes reporters du Sénégal appelle le ministre de la Communication, des Télécommunications et de l’Economie numérique à revoir sa position, afin de préserver l’outil de travail de nombreux pères, mères et soutiens de famille’’ exerçant leur métier à Wal Fadjri.
Le bureau exécutif national de la CJRS invite l’Etat à ‘’privilégier le dialogue et la concertation pour préserver la démocratie, la liberté d’expression, la liberté d’opinion et la liberté d’informer’’.
Il appelle les associations de presse à ‘’s’unir derrière le groupe Wal Fadjri et à lui apporter [leur] soutien sans condition’’.
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