Ethiopia Supreme Court says two Zone 9 bloggers should face incitement charges
New York, April 6, 2017–Ethiopia’s Supreme Court today ruled that two bloggers from the Zone 9 collective, previously acquitted of terrorism charges, should be tried instead on charges of inciting violence through their writing. If convicted of the charge, Atnaf Berhane and Natnail Feleke would face a maximum prison sentence of 10 years, according to…
Nigerian blogger, publisher jailed on defamation charges
Abuja, Nigeria, March 24, 2017–Nigerian authorities should immediately and unconditionally release blogger Kemi Omololu-Olunloyo and newspaper publisher Samuel Welson, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The two have been held in a maximum security prison for more than a week as they await trial on charges of defamation and publishing false news.
Chad journalists in hiding after threats
Abuja, Nigeria, March 6, 2017–Chadian domestic intelligence officers should cease harassing and attempting to intimidate journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At least two journalists have gone into hiding following harassment from National Security Agency (ANS) officers in recent weeks, and another was detained and forced to apologize for his work.
CPJ requests information on jailed Cameroonian journalists
March 1, 2017 Issa Tchiroma Bakary Minister of Communication Hotel de Ville Yaoundé Via fax: +237 222 23 30 22; Your Excellency, We at the Committee to Protect Journalists, an independent press freedom advocacy organization, are concerned about compounding reports of measures to restrict the media in Cameroon, and request clarification regarding the reported imprisonment…
Togolese journalist beaten, victim of hit-and-run
Lagos, Nigeria, February 22, 2017–Togolese authorities should ensure the safety of a journalist beaten by security forces and should fully and credibly investigate that assault, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Robert Avotor, a journalist for the biweekly newspaper l’Alternative, told CPJ that a vehicle intentionally hit him on February 19, in what he…
Ivory Coast detains six journalists for reporting on mutiny
Police in the Ivory Coast on February 12, 2017, detained Vamara Coulibaly, the publisher of the independent Soir Info and L’Inter newspapers; Hamadou Ziao, editor-in-chief of L’Inter; Jean Bédel Gnago, a journalist with Soir info; Bamba Franck Mamadou, the publisher of the pro-opposition newspaper Notre Voie; Yacouba Gbané, the publisher of the pro-opposition newspapers Le…