The Press Union of Liberia, (PUL) has criticized the Ministry of Information's move to stop publication at two local newspapers, The New Broom and The Bi-Lingual, the Liberian Daily Observer reported Wednesday.

The PUL described the Ministry's prevention of printing and confiscation of the two papers as a breach of the Liberian Constitution and a government promise to harbor press freedom.

The PUL stated that without court orders, the seizure of the newspapers by Information Minister Dr. Laurence Bropleh and his staff was illegal.

AllAfrica.com reported that Bropleh "could neither deny nor confirm" PUL's allegation.

According to the PUL, the Alley printing press was ordered not to print the New Broom paper for an alleged breach of Ministry regulations, and the Bi-Lingual newspaper had told the PUL that it was denied use of the Seamarco Printing Press, according to the Daily Observer.

The moves by the Information ministry have been criticised by the PUL as step back to past political climates where the government was quick to shut down conflicting media outlets and change newspaper headlines through their hold of the Sabanoh Printing Press, formerly the country's only publishing house.