Lome - A new law adopted by Togo's parliament will muzzle the independent media, said the head of a Togolese media watchdog on Wednesday.
"We think this law is aimed at the private media, even if a law is not made for a particular category but is national and impersonal," said Francis Pedro Amuzun, president of the Togolese Media Observatory (OTM).
President Gnassingbe Eyadema still has to enact the new law, which stipulates that causing "offence to the President of The Republic" is punishable by five years in jail and by a fine ranging from one to five million CFA francs (about R16 000 to about R81 000).
"Severe sentences should not be used as a means to encourage journalists to act in a professional manner," said Amuzun, regretting that parliament had followed the line of the council of ministers in passing the law on Tuesday.
"We know there are mistakes that need to be corrected but it isn't by imposing stringent sentences that we will make journalists behave professionally," he said, calling on Eyadema "not to promulgate this law."
Communications Minister Pitang Tchalla had said when the council of ministers passed the new press law two weeks ago that it was "aimed at encouraging professionalism and... guaranteeing the protection of government institutions against offences, libel, insults and outrages."
After Togo's lawmakers eased restrictions on the media in 1989, several private newspapers, radio and television stations came into being.
About 200 are currently operational.
Togo's first press law was adopted in 1990. It has since been revised twice, the last time in February 2000. - Sapa-AFP