In January, criticism of Rock Gnassingbé, former head of the Togolese soccer association, led authorities to pull Lomé-based Radio Victoire off the air for two weeks. Authorities indefinitely banned from the airwaves French television journalist Jacques Roux, a station contributor, who had criticized Gnassingbé's financial management of the association.

In March, the government media regulatory body, the High Authority for Audiovisual Communication (HAAC), banned from broadcast the veteran journalist and media activist Daniel Lawson-Drackey. The move was linked to an opinion piece aired on privately owned Nana FM that addressed corruption allegations against Public Administration Minister Arthème Ahoomey-Zunu.

In June, the HAAC suspended three independent weekly newspapers, citing "violations to journalist ethics." Le Courrier de La République was suspended for four months on a complaint filed by an opposition party member about a story alleging corruption; La Trompette, for three months on a complaint lodged by a group of University of Lomé academics about a story critical of the faculty; and Le Perroquet, for two months on an allegation that it accepted payment for a story about an immigration application. The editor of Le Perroquet denied the charge. The HAAC appeared to have acted beyond its authority. Togo's Press and Communication Code states a publication can be suspended only by court order.

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