The presidency spokesperson announced last Friday during a press conference that from now on anyone who slanders directly or indirectly the President will be sued.

"The Presidency of the Republic wants to remind everyone that the law must be applied to everyone, and as such, justice will be now systematically seized for defamation on the President" said Alain Claude Billie-By-Nze to the press.

For many years the president of the Republic and the members of his family have been subjected to insults in media from politicians, civil society and journalists. A habit tolerated by late president Omar Bongo but now going to unprecedented levels.

This decision from the president to sue his slanderers resulted from the violation of his private life found in several press articles classified as defamatory especially regarding his origins, his heritage and his family.

Arsene REBOUKA