Polls: DRC TV stations barred
2006-07-20 10:02
Kinshasa - Six television stations in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been barred from covering election campaigns for 72 hours as the country prepares for landmark polls on July 30, say officials.
The Media High Authority sanctioned the stations, including the state-owned Congolese National Radio Television, for repeated breaches of broadcasting codes related to elections.
Authority officials didn't specify the breaches, saying only that they had "persisted in violations" despite warnings.
The elections were seen as a key step in bringing lasting peace to the vast, war-scarred central African state.
But, the run-up to the polls had been marred by incidents. Earlier this month, United Nations observers said irregularities such as arrests and intimidation had disrupted campaigning.