Africa

  
Journalists Musa Sekou Sheriff and Momodou Justice Darboe were arrested on September 26 on the day Gambian President Adama Barrow praised his country’s press freedom record at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. (Photo courtesy of The Voice)

Gambian president withdraws defamation lawsuit against The Voice, editor 

Durban, November 4, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes Gambian President Adama Barrow’s decision to withdraw a civil defamation lawsuit against The Voice newspaper and its editor-in-chief and urges Attorney General Dawda A. Jallow to drop related false news charges against the editor and a colleague. “We are relieved that President Barrow responded to appeals…

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Arko Edward and Erastus Asare Donkor

Mine security guards attack media crew covering environmental degradation in Ghana

Abuja, October 31, 2024–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Ghanaian authorities to swiftly investigate and hold accountable the security guards who attacked four journalists and media workers working for the privately owned Multimedia Group conglomerate at a mining site in the country’s southern Ashanti region. On October 20, at least 10 armed security guards…

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Bakary Gamalo Bamba

Guinean journalist Bakary Gamalo Bamba charged with violating judge’s privacy

Dakar, October 30, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls for the release of journalist Bakary Gamalo Bamba, director of the bimonthly newspaper Le Baobab, who has been detained since October 20 on charges of invasion of privacy. “Guinean authorities should immediately and unconditionally release journalist Bakary Gamalo Bamba, who has been jailed since October 20,…

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Cameroonian journalist Thierry Patrick Ondoua detained on insult charges

Dakar, October 24, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Cameroonian authorities to immediately release journalist Thierry Patrick Ondoua, publishing director of the privately-owned Le Point Hebdo bimonthly newspaper, after he was arrested on Tuesday in connection with a report on the minister of housing’s alleged mismanagement, and to drop all charges against him. “Journalist Thierry Patrick…

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A composite image of three male journalists speaking into microphones.

Burkina Faso confirms conscription of 3 journalists, 1 still missing

New York, October 25, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by the forced conscription of journalists Serge Atiana Oulon, Adama Bayala, and Kalifara Séré, who went missing in June, and calls for them to be immediately returned home. “It is outrageous and chilling that Burkinabe authorities feel it is acceptable to take journalists from…

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Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema at the African Union Headquarters in Ethiopia in 2023.

Zambian journalist Thomas Zgambo arrested for 3rd time in a year 

Lusaka, October 18, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Zambian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release investigative journalist Thomas Allan Zgambo who has been held at a police station in the capital Lusaka since October 16, without charge. “Zambian authorities should drop all criminal cases against investigative journalist Thomas Zgambo and allow him to…

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Precious Eze Chukwunonso

4 Nigerian journalists face fresh charges over report tying bank CEO to fraud claims

Abuja, October 16, 2024–The Committee to Protect Journalists strongly condemns the continued detention of journalists Olurotimi Olawale, Precious Eze Chukwunonso, Roland Olonishuwa, and Seun Odunlami, whose criminal charges were amended by prosecutors on October 14. “Nigerian authorities should release journalists Olurotimi Olawale, Precious Eze Chukwunonso, Roland Olonishuwa, and Seun Odunlami, and end the deepening criminalization…

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Chad electoral workers

Chad media regulator restricts online broadcasts under threat of shutdown

Dakar, October 16, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Chadian authorities to reverse a directive announcedon October 9 by Abderamane Barka, president of the High Authority for Media and Audiovisual (HAMA) regulator, to suspend or revoke the licenses of outlets that share online content outside of narrowly defined circumstances. “Chad’s media regulator should immediately…

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Composite of an animated video, published in the The Citizen newspaper, of a character resembling President Samia Suluhu Hassan watching television coverage of recent reported killings and abductions of government critics. (Screenshots: SK Media Online TV/CPJ)

Tanzania’s regulator bans media outlets as journalists harassed

Kampala, October 15, 2024—Instead of providing the latest news updates, the homepages of three leading Tanzanian newspapers are focused on their own suspension over a video seen as critical of the president, as concerns mount over deteriorating press freedom ahead of elections. On October 2, the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) issued a 30-day suspension…

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Cameroon's President Paul Biya (C) arrives at the Beijing Capital International Airport, ahead of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing, China, 04 September 2024. WU HAO/Pool via REUTERS - RC2FT9AB9IIC

Cameroon bans reporting on President Paul Biya’s health, whereabouts

New York, October 10, 2024—The Cameroonian government should end its threats to sanction private media journalists who report on the condition and whereabouts of President Paul Biya, 91, who has not been seen publicly for over a month and has missed scheduled international engagements, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Thursday. “The Cameroonian government should simply put the rumors to rest by…

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