Ivorians protest at state media

28 Jan 2010

At least 3,000 people marched through the streets of Abidjan in Ivory Coast on Tuesday, 26 January 2010, to protest against state media coverage ahead of the country's national elections. The protesters claim President Laurent Gbagbo has a "stranglehold" over state media and demanded opposition parties be given equal access to it.

They also called on the president to prevent the election from being further delayed. The demonstration was organised by the youth wing of the Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace, a coalition that unites the parties of former president Henri Konan Bedie and of ex-prime minister Alassane Ouattara.

National elections in Ivory Coast are due to take place by early March, having been repeatedly postponed since 2005.

Source: Panos London

Panos London promotes the participation of poor and marginalised people in national and international development debates through media and communication projects. It is part of the worldwide Panos Network of independent institutes working to ensure that information is used more effectively to foster debate, pluralism and democracy.

Go to: http://www.panos.org.uk