'A day without press' in Guinea as the media snubs ruling junta

Several private media and online outlets in Guinea launched a one-day boycott of news in protest at press and internet restrictions by the authorities.

The protest was announced Monday after the ruling military shut down two radio stations owned by the Afric Vision group, limited access to popular websites and social media, and threatened to close any media that "undermines national unity."

"From 5AM, until now when I’m talking with you, there is no radio being broadcast, at least in FM band, and therefore TV is 100% down, except RTG (ed: Radio Television Guineenne), national television. And also, TV is the programs, the programs are down, it's just the music, so for us it's satisfying," said Kemo Mansaré, President of ATPAG (Association of Professional Media and Audiovisual Technicians of Guinea).

The government has denied any crackdown against Afric Vision or blocking of the internet. Civilians are now calling upon the government to respect freedom of the press as enshrined in the constitution.

"I think it’s not good, it’s not good for us, the population, it’s not good for the state, because the media journalists are our sources of information. And despite the abundance of social networks, and even that is currently blocked. And we manage to listen to the radios and the TVs to better inform ourselves. Because an uninformed person, or society, is a danger to society," said one resident.

The state has been run by the military since 2021, when President Alpha Conde was overthrown.

The opposition has called for fresh demonstrations in the capital Conakry on Wednesday and Thursday.