La Matinale, a pro-government newspaper was on January 22, 2013 suspended for three publications by the National Press Council (CNP), the press regulatory body.

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)'s correspondent reported that the newspaper was suspended for alleged offensive publications.

According to the correspondent, the CNP in a statement issued on January 22, announcing the suspension said, "since August 2012, La Matinale, under the deceptive pretext of condemning the depravity of morals, serves as a form of epistolary pornography for readers." The statement further indicated that the newspaper failed to halt the practice despite series of warnings.

According to the regulatory body Diabaté Lanciné, managing editor of the newspaper and Christian Kocani, author of the article, were on two occasions summoned to the office of the CNP but failed to appear, though the latter obliged to a previous summon.

As a result and in accordance with Article 21 of the law of December 14, 2004 on the legal regime for the press, the regulatory body found La Matinale guilty and thus, suspended the newspaper for three publications.

In a related development and on the same day, the CNP summoned L' Eléphant Déchaîné, a bi-weekly satirical newspaper for questioning, following statements the newspaper attributed to President Alassane Outtara.

According to the MFWA correspondent, the regulatory body queried Assalé Tiémoko, managing editor of the newspaper over the statements and warned the newspaper to learn the right techniques of satire, taking into account the realities of Cote d'Ivoire.