SECTOR 1

The HAAC has the duty to examine and verify each declarant’s file in committee
before issuing a formal confirmation. During this verification procedure, the
HAAC had to deal with the case of a declarant with a fake diploma, who had
presented the profile of a press group whose members had no press card. The
HAAC eventually refused to deliver the formal confirmation, but the declarant
forced the issue by publishing an article attacking the regulatory body. Even
though the decisions of the HAAC may be appealed by any declarant before the
administrative chamber of the Court of appeal if the six month delivery limit is
exceeded.

Scores:
Individual scores:
1

Country does not meet indicator

2

Country meets only a few aspects of indicator

3

Country meets some aspects of indicator

4

Country meets most aspects of indicator

5

Country meets all aspects of the indicator

Average score:

2.2 (2013 = 3.5; 2010 = 3.3)

1.6 Confidential sources of information are protected
by law and/or the courts.
Confidential sources of information are protected. In this regard, the Press Code
stipulates in its Article 67 that “a journalist or communication technician may
not be constrained to reveal his sources”. But the overall opinion of the panel is
that very often during the examination of a case against a journalist, there is an
insidious attempt to find out who provided the information. The law on access to
information is also mentioned as generally protective of sources.

74

AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER togo 2017

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