Togo authorities said they will lift a suspension on accreditations for foreign journalists imposed in April after a highly contested constitutional reform.
The High Authority for Audiovisual and Communication suspended accreditations before legislative elections that saw President Faure Gnassingbeâs ruling party extend his familyâs political dynasty.
HAAC had said the suspension was because of âserious failuresâ in the coverage of Togoâs politics by French media and issues with a French journalist who was expelled from Togo.
âThe suspension of the accreditation of foreign press organisations for the coverage of news and demonstrations in Togo is lifted as of Wednesday, June 26,â HAAC said in a statement issued late Friday.
Reporters Without Borders had denounced the suspension as a violation of freedom of information.
Gnassingbeâs Union for the Republic (UNIR) party won 108 of the 113 parliament seats in the election in the small West African state.
Under the constitutional reform, the presidency becomes a largely ceremonial post elected by lawmakers. Power shifts to a new president of the council of ministers. That position will automatically be taken by the head of the ruling party, in this case, Gnassingbe as the UNIR leader.
It means Gnassingbe can regain the post every six years if his party maintains a parliamentary majority. Critics called the reform an âinstitutional coupâ tailored for Gnassingbe to evade term limits on his presidency.