Madagascar Threatens Criminal Sanctions Against 2 Journalists

Nairobi — The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Malagasy authorities to retract threats of criminal prosecution directed at Gaëlle Borgia, a freelancer who contributes to TV5 Monde, and Radio France Internationale (RFI) correspondent Pauline Le Troquier, and to ensure that the press can cover matters of public interest without interference.

According to the two journalists, Madagascar's Ministry of Communication and Culture wrote to the French media outlets in late July asking them to replace Borgia and Le Troquier as their correspondents in the country, accusing them of undermining public safety. The letters, one of which CPJ reviewed, cited the journalists' recent reporting investigating the deaths of at least 32 people who attended a June birthday party in the town of Ambohimalaza, east of the capital Antananarivo.

Authorities have attributed the deaths to intentional poisoning. Borgia's and Le Troquier's reporting questioned the official explanation and suggested the deaths may have been caused by botulism, a rare but potentially fatal illness that can be caused by improperly handled or stored food.

"The Malagasy government is exposing a worrisome intolerance of reporting that challenges official narratives," said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Muthoki Mumo. "Authorities should withdraw their threats against journalists Gaëlle Borgia and Pauline Le Troquier, and refrain from further attempts to intimidate independent journalists."

Borgia told CPJ that, in the letter, authorities accused her of breaching a section of Madagascar's media law, which carries a fine of up to US$2,260 for the publication of "false news" and said they would take legal action against her in accordance with Article 91 of the Malagasy penal code. The code stipulates a prison sentence of one and five years for the dissemination of information that compromises public safety or causes serious political unrest.

In a Facebook post, a China-based Malagasy diplomat accused the journalists of "stirring up hatred." In a separate post, a Malagasy senator called their reports "fake news."

CPJ reached out to the Minister of Communication and Culture, Volamiranty Donna Mara, via WhatsApp, and to the Malagasy Presidency via its website, but did not receive any response.

Read the original article on CPJ.