Guinea: A Crackdown on private media outlets?

Four popular Guinean media outlets have had their channels removed from the package of cable network Canal +.

In Conakry, at the headquarters of private Djoma Media, the president of the MODEL party condemned Monday (Dec. 11) the move instructed by the authorities.

"You are the media, you are our scouts, you are also the interface between us, public opinion, and the authorities, Aliou Bah said. 

"Accepting this muzzling, accepting this harassment, accepting this sabotage [is out of the question].  I have described [this] as cowardly, because there is no reason for this attitude - what they want is to hide things, they want to commit acts without witnesses. There is no question of national emergency or national security. "

The State-run media regulator instructed the removal of the channels from the Paris-based cable network citing “national security” concern.

Some observers fear a muzzling of media critical of the military authorities. The channels now have to bear the economic impact of the sanction.

"The withdrawal of the media following the government's announcement on social networks of the withdrawal of the Djoma, Evasion and Espace media from the Canal+ package of broadcasters is having a serious impact on us because it is simply slowing down our production momentum, slowing down our operations in the field, if you like, because we are losing clients that actually want to broadcast in these media outlets."

The FIM FM newsroom remained empty on Monday (Dec. 11). The airwaves of the station have been jammed.

Private press organizations are divided on a strategy. Some have called for protestations, others are still open to discussing with the watchdog of the sector.