The Les Echos de Guinee, a bi-monthly newspaper was suspended by the National Communication Council (CNC), the media regulatory body, for a period of two months for allegedly publishing false information about the Minister for Interior and Decentralization, Kiridi Bangoura.The managing editor, Sekou Traore who wrote the article was also bared from establishing any media outlet or from offering his services to other media organizations till April 26.
Les Echos de Guinee published an article on Page 2 of Issue No.102 of February 20 – March 5, 2006, entitled “ The Guinean government and democracy” in which it accused the Minister of compromising Guinea’s political future by rigging the December 2005 Communal and Community elections in favour of the ruling party, the Progress and Unity Party (PUP).
The source said the newspaper also accused the Minister Bangoura of siphoning funds allocated to his ministry for the conduct of the elections.The CNC said the newspaper story was an “attack on the honour and reputation of Bangoura”.