Images choquantes d’un accident à Diourbel : le CORED rappelle à l’ordre le journal Le Dakarois
On January 5th, the Media Ethics and Professional Conduct Review Board (CORED) initiated proceedings against the newspaper Le Dakarois. The newspaper had published on its front page on Friday, January 2nd, 2026, images of the bodies of victims who died in a very violent traffic accident on the road to Diourbel.
Thus, the court found "professional shortcomings despite numerous warnings from CORED through several press releases, failure to comply with procedures and deadlines for publication obligations, and violation of the regulations governing the journalism profession." Consequently, a warning was issued to the newspaper.
The facts:
In its issue no. 640 of Friday, January 2, 2026, the newspaper Le Dakarois published, on its front page, disturbing images of a violent accident on the Diourbel road. That same day, the President of CORED contacted the editor of Le Dakarois to draw attention to the shock and emotional impact such images could have on the public. Indeed, these bodies lying on the ground, likely to offend the sensibilities of many readers, completely violate ethical and professional standards.
Following the publication of the newspaper, in accordance with established practices and ethical guidelines, the President of CORED requested that the editor apologize to the readers. This was not done, as recommended by the regulations, in the subsequent issue, specifically edition no. 641 of Monday, January 5, 2026. This occurred despite the publisher's commitments. It was only on January 12, 2026, ten (10) days later, and after receiving a formal complaint from CORED, that the newspaper published an apology.
However, according to procedure, the newspaper Le Dakarois had one week from the date of receipt of the letter to respond to CORED's inquiries. The apology, for a daily newspaper, should be published in the next edition.
Faced with such shortcomings, CORED therefore took up the matter itself and targeted the professional deviations of the newspaper within the legal framework of the texts that govern the profession.
Opinion of the Court of Peers:
In its undated response to the CORED's self-referral, received on January 12 by the self-regulatory body's secretariat, the "editorial staff of the newspaper Le Dakarois acknowledges that the publication of these images does not comply with the ethical and professional standards governing journalism." In its response, the "editorial staff of the Le Dakarois Group offers its sincere apologies to its readers and to CORED," while reaffirming its "commitment to respecting human dignity, editorial responsibility, and the ethical rules that underpin the credibility of the press." The newspaper "pledges to be even more vigilant to ensure that such a situation does not recur."
The CORED's peer review tribunal considers these responses from the newspaper as an admission of guilt. While accepting the mea culpa from the editorial staff of Le Dakarois Group, the CORED peer review tribunal believes there has been a violation of the regulations governing the journalism profession, specifically articles 18, 57, and 65 of the Press Code, as well as the Charter of Journalists of Senegal.
Concerned about the strict respect for ethics and professional conduct by the media, the CORED Peer Tribunal reminds the newspaper Le Dakarois that it must strictly comply with the provisions of the Press Code and the Charter of Journalists of Senegal.
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