The High Authority for Audiovisual and Communication (HAAC) issued a statement on Monday to warn "journalists or directors of publications who engage in maneuvers and attempts to blackmail and defraud peaceful citizens". Following "various complaints and information" that it has registered in recent times, the media regulatory body condemns and threatens to crack down on the maneuvers and attempts at blackmail and fraud of which some journalists or directors of publications are alleged to be perpetrators. Signed by the president of the HAAC, Pitalounani Telou, the statement that "under the pretext of holding information implicating them in their private or professional life, these journalists demand from their target money in return for the non-publication or dissemination of these. Other journalists receive money from some people for the purpose of publishing articles incriminating citizens, without using professional practices to cross-check and verify the information in their possession." While recalling Article 42 of the Press and Communication Code, the High Authority "condemns such procedures that do not honor the profession". It "warns journalists who engage in such acts. The latter incur severe penalties up to and including exclusion from the body of communication professionals.