EXCLUSIVE: Senegal’s grave miscarriage of justice in the case of René Capain Bassène
Journalist René Capain Bassène devoted his career to restoring peace to Senegal’s troubled Casamance region. The government accused him of being a rebel who ordered the murder of 14 men and jailed him for life. Now a rebel leader and a U.S. diplomat involved in peace negotiations have refuted the prosecution’s fundamentally flawed theory. The…
Tracking Tinubu’s tenure: CPJ exposes Nigeria’s media repression reality
In the three years since Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023, journalists have been repeatedly arrested, attacked, and harassed — yet, the government has sought to deny this reality. Vice President Kashim Shettima suggested in February that no journalists have been harassed in Nigeria since Tinubu took office, despite extensive…
‘Under the shadow of fear’: censorship is Ethiopia’s real election story, journalists say
May 29, 2026—In the countdown to Ethiopia’s general election, journalist Bewket Abebe flew to the northern border town of Humera, in a rare attempt at on-the-ground reporting ahead of the June 1 vote. Bewket, chief editor of The Reporter Magazine, was scheduled to meet the administrator of the contested territory, which is claimed by both…
No justice, over month after 15 men beat Nigerian journalist investigating phone scam
Abuja, May 28, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Nigerian authorities to swiftly identify and hold to account at least 15 men who assaulted journalist Allwell Ene as he was investigating an alleged phone scam in the southern city of Port Harcourt. Police spokesperson Blessing Agabe announced on World Press Freedom Day, May 3,…
Senegalese journalist René Capain Bassène released after over 8 years in detention
Dakar, May 27, 2026—CPJ welcomes the release of journalist and writer René Capain Bassène, who had been detained since 2018 in Senegal. Bassène was sentenced to life in prison on charges of complicity in murder and attempted murder, crimes that CPJ reporting found he could not have committed. “CPJ is particularly pleased by Senegalese President…
Drones strike radio station in rebel-held DRC, with threat to kill next time
The eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has joined a growing number of conflicts where drones are being used to target journalists, as two strikes hit a community radio station, followed by calls and messages threatening further attacks over its reporting on militia abuses. The bombing of Radio Tuungane in South Kivu province’s rebel-controlled Minembwe…
Niger suspends 9 French media outlets for alleged public order threat
Dakar, May 15, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on authorities in Niger to reverse the suspension of nine France-based news outlets and to release all four journalists jailed since last year. The affected outlets are state-funded broadcasters France 24 and Radio France Internationale (RFI), Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency, TV5Monde network, the pan-African weekly…
DRC journalist detained since January, another in hiding after mining impact report
Kinshasa, May 13, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to release journalist Stéphane Shisso, who was arrested in January after reporting on erosion caused by mining, and to ensure the safety of his colleague Guelord Shamba, who is in hiding. “It is a grave injustice that…
Rwandan YouTuber dies of alleged overdose on day of release from prison
Nairobi, May 8, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls for an independent and credible investigation into the death of Rwandan YouTube commentator Aimable Karasira Uzaramba on Wednesday, the day of his scheduled release from prison at the end of his five-year sentence. In a statement, the Rwanda Correctional Service (RCS) said that 48-year-old Karasira died…
New CPJ podcast reveals torture, coerced testimony in case of jailed Senegalese journalist René Capain Bassène
Dakar, May 4, 2026—A new podcast released by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) presents extensive new testimony and reporting on the conviction of Senegalese journalist and author René Capain Bassène, raising serious questions about the integrity of a case that has become one of West Africa’s most emblematic press freedom concerns. The six-part series,…