Liberia journalist detained for republishing story about president of Equatorial Guinea
Plainclothes police officers on September 15, 2016, detained Festus Poquie, a journalist with Liberia’s New Democrat newspaper, from his office and took him to the Liberia National Police headquarters in the capital Monrovia, where he was detained and interrogated for several hours.
Police arrest prominent Ethiopian blogger
New York, October 3, 2016 – Ethiopian authorities should immediately and unconditionally release blogger Seyoum Teshome, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Police arrested Teshome on October 1, according to press accounts and opposition activists.
Ghana police threaten social media blackout during polls
Ghanaian Police Inspector General John Kudalor on May 26, 2016, told reporters in the capital Accra that police were considering blocking Facebook, Twitter and all other social media during general elections scheduled to be held in December 7, according to media reports.
Nigeria detains 13 journalists, bloggers, and media workers
Abuja, Nigeria, September 29, 2016 — Nigerian authorities should immediately release at least 11 journalists, bloggers, and media support staff detained in recent days across the country and stop harassing the media, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Ghana detains writer for allegations regarding president
Officers of the Bureau of National Investigation, Ghana’s national security agency, arrested Ghanaian-Lebanese columnist and author Fadi Dabbousi on September 23, 2016, upon his arrival from Lebanon at Kotoka International Airport, according to news reports.
Journalist held without charge in Somaliland
Nairobi, September 28, 2016–Authorities in Somaliland should immediately and unconditionally release journalist Ahmed Mouse Sakaaro, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Somaliland police arrested Sakaaro in the eastern town of Buroa on September 25, according to local journalists and a statement by a local human rights body.
CPJ Newsletter: Exhibit of jailed photographer’s work moves to Photoville, journalist released from jail, and we join our partners at the UN
October edition Next stop for exhibit of Shawkan’s work: Photoville In mid-September, CPJ partnered with the Bronx Documentary Center to hold an exhibition of photographs taken by Mahmoud Abou Zeid, or Shawkan, a freelance journalist who has been imprisoned in Egypt since August 2013. Many of Shawkan’s photos–from protests and celebrations in Tahrir Square to…
How Nigeria’s cybercrime law is being used to try to muzzle the press
Since Nigeria’s cybercrime act was voted into law in May 2015 authorities have used the accusation of cyber stalking to harass and press charges against at least five bloggers who criticized politicians and businessmen online and through social media.
Nigerian secret police arrest online journalist
Three operatives of the State Security Service, Nigeria’s secret police, on September 6 arrested Emenike Iroegbu, who runs the news website Abia Facts, from his home in Uyo, the capital of the southern state of Akwa Ibom, on suspicion of libelling the governor of neighboring Abia state, according to news reports. The operatives searched Iroegbu’s…