Benin crackdown on online media fuels fears

Cotonou: Online media in Benin are facing a complete wipeout after the authorities ordered them to shut down, in a move critics say is aimed at stifling journalists ahead of elections next year.

The west African nation’s state media regulator issued a decree in early July ordering all online outlets to "end publication" or risk facing legal punishment.

The watchdog said internet outlets had been opened "without prior authorisation" and that those behind them had not been properly vetted.

"This constitutes a danger to the country," said Fernand Gbaguidi, spokesman for the High Audiovisual and Communication Authority.

Since the announcement Leonce Gamai, the managing director of popular investigative news site Banouto, has been losing sleep.

Work at the outlet is "on hold" and he has had to suspend his staff of seven journalists until the situation becomes clearer.

He insists the site long ago went through all the legal formalities and is hoping to get the greenlight to return to business soon.