Africa Archives - Page 29 of 31 - Committee to Protect Journalists

Central African Republic editor jailed in politicized case

January 25, 2012 4:20 PM EST

New York, January 25, 2012–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on authorities in the Central African Republic to immediately release a newspaper editor imprisoned since January 16 and to drop a politicized prosecution that stems from the paper’s critical coverage of a presidential relative who also serves as the government’s finance minister.

From left: Nega, Gellaw, Negash, Teklemariam, Yenealem, and Belew. (CPJ)

Judge confirms charges against Ethiopian dissident blogger

January 25, 2012 3:14 PM EST

New York, January 25, 2012–Jailed Ethiopian dissident blogger Eskinder Nega will stand trial in March for all of the terrorism accusations initially advanced by prosecutors, a federal high court judge ruled yesterday, local sources said. If convicted on all charges, he could face the death penalty.

Former Minister Kabakumba Masiko resigned after her private radio station was found to have been illegally using UBC equipment. (CPJ)

Uganda’s radio closures uncover lack of independence

January 23, 2012 10:23 AM EST

Ugandan police have shuttered 13 broadcasters since December, accusing them of misusing power supplies and equipment belonging to the state-run Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC). The widespread allegations of corrupt deals between the state broadcaster and ostensibly private stations reveal more than illicit transactions–they expose a lack of independence within Uganda’s broadcast sector.

Journalist Enenche Akogwu was shot dead today while interviewing witnesses of a terrorist attack. (Channels TV)

Nigerian reporter murdered while covering bombings

January 20, 2012 5:42 PM EST

New York, January 20, 2012–A television reporter covering the aftermath of coordinated terrorist attacks in northern Nigeria was gunned down this afternoon, according to local journalists and news reports.

In Senegal, two journalists get suspended prison terms

January 20, 2012 5:19 PM EST

New York, January 20, 2012–Two Senegalese journalists with the private daily Le Quotidien were handed suspended prison sentences this week in a criminal libel case over their coverage of an armed insurgency in a separatist province, according to news reports.

News editor Nansok Sallah was found dead on Thursday morning. (Highland FM)

Nigerian journalist killed; colleagues suspect murder

January 20, 2012 3:38 PM EST

New York, January 20, 2012–Nigerian authorities should launch a thorough and transparent investigation into the murder of a radio journalist whose body was found on Thursday morning, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Ethiopian blogger, journalists convicted of terrorism

January 19, 2012 5:22 PM EST

New York, January 19, 2012–Two journalists and a U.S.-based blogger who was tried in absentia were convicted on charges of terrorism in Ethiopia today and could be sentenced to the death penalty, according to news reports.

At least 21 Somaliland journalists were detained this past weekend while protesting the shutdown of a broadcaster. (SOLJA/Said Askar)

In Somaliland, crackdown on the press continues

January 17, 2012 5:21 PM EST

New York, January 17, 2012–The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by the deteriorating press conditions in the semi-autonomous republic of Somaliland after this weekend’s detention of 21 journalists protesting a police raid on a private broadcaster.

Nigerians have been protesting for five days over the removal of a fuel subsidy. (AP/Sunday Alamba)

#OccupyNigeria protesters take on news media coverage

January 13, 2012 6:23 PM EST

Protesters in Nigeria are not only angry at their government’s New Year’s Day decision to eliminate a fuel subsidy — they are also upset about news media coverage of the citizens’ movement, dubbed “Occupy Nigeria,” and have taken their protests to local media outlets.

Standing with Ethiopia’s tenacious blogger, Eskinder Nega

January 13, 2012 4:21 PM EST

It would be hard to find a better symbol of media repression in Africa than Eskinder Nega. The veteran Ethiopian journalist and dissident blogger has been detained at least seven times by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s government over the past two decades, and was put back in jail on September 14, 2011, after he published…