Africa Archives - Page 198 of 476 - Committee to Protect Journalists

Ethiopian judge rejects Reeyot Alemu’s final appeal

January 8, 2013 5:58 PM EST

In a ruling that lasted five minutes, a new judge appointed to the Ethiopian Court of Cassation in the capital, Addis Ababa, rejected on January 8, 2012, an appeal filed on behalf of award-winning journalist Reeyot Alemu, according to local journalists.

Hassan Ruvakuki attends court in October 2012 to appeal his life sentence. (AFP/Esdras Ndikumana)

Burundian court reduces journalist’s jail term

January 8, 2013 3:51 PM EST

Nairobi, January 8, 2013–An appeals court in Burundi today dropped terrorism charges against jailed journalist Hassan Ruvakuki and reduced his sentence from life to three years in prison, according to local journalists and news reports.

Malawian journalist assaulted during radio interview

January 7, 2013 5:32 PM EST

Nairobi, January 7, 2013–Malawian authorities must immediately investigate the reported assault of a radio journalist who said he was punched by a business leader angered by an interview question.

In Ghana, journalists attacked after presidential elections

January 7, 2013 2:48 PM EST

Several journalists reported being attacked in the aftermath of Ghana’s contested presidential elections on December 7, 2012, according to CPJ interviews, news reports, and local press freedom organizations.

In South Sudan, two journalists detained in Wau

January 4, 2013 4:28 PM EST

Nairobi, January 4, 2013–Authorities in South Sudan have been holding two state broadcast journalists without charge since Tuesday, according to local journalists and media reports. The journalists were picked up in a sweep of arrests following protests and ethnic clashes last month in the northwestern town of Wau in Western Bahr el Ghazal State.

Senegalese journalist handed suspended prison sentence

January 3, 2013 6:34 PM EST

On December 18, 2012, a judge convicted editor El Malick Seck of weekly news magazine L’Exclusif of criminal defamation over a column critical of Sidy Lamine Niasse, the chief executive of private media group Walf, according to news reports.

Musa Muhammad Awwal, left, and Aliyu Saleh were held illegally for more than one week. (Al-Mizan)

Nigerian journalists freed, but equipment still held

January 2, 2013 2:48 PM EST

New York, January 2, 2013–The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on Nigeria’s State Security Service (SSS) to return laptops and cell phones confiscated from two journalists who were illegally detained for more than a week without charge.

Koffi Olomide performs in a hotel in Lukasa. (The Post)

In Zambia, musician accused in attack on photographer

December 31, 2012 1:17 PM EST

Nairobi, December 31, 2012–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on authorities in Zambia to thoroughly investigate accusations that a well-known rhumba musician attacked a freelance photographer on Friday at a concert in Lusaka, the capital.

Eritrean Information Minister Ali Abdu Ahmed (Somali Mirror)

Where is Eritrean Information Minister Ali Abdu?

December 27, 2012 4:25 PM EST

Eritrean Information Minister Ali Abdu Ahmed, government spokesman and censor-in-chief of the Red Sea nation, has been invisible in the past few weeks. The total absence of any independent press in Eritrea has allowed the government to maintain complete silence in the face of mounting questions and surging Internet rumors of his defection. It was…

Djibouti President Ismael Omar Guelleh addresses the media after his re-election in April 2011. (AP)

In Djibouti, journalist defiant despite revolving jail door

December 27, 2012 11:53 AM EST

Online journalist Houssein Ahmed Farah spent more than three months in jail in Djibouti before an appeals court finally released him in November–after his defense requested bail three times, Houssein said. His crime? Officially nothing. “It appears to have been an arbitrary arrest because there is still no evidence on file,” Houssein told me. He…