Sierra Leonean authorities fine, suspend licenses of Star broadcasters
Abuja, September 13, 2022—Authorities in Sierra Leone should ensure that Star television and radio stations can broadcast news without undue interference, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. In mid-August, Sierra Leone’s broadcast media regulator, National Telecommunications Commission, suspended the licenses of privately owned broadcasters Star Radio and Star TV for over two weeks and…
Chadian military police detain journalists Janvier Mouatangar and Anner Sabartang in separate incidents
In separate incidents on August 8 and August 10, 2022, the Chadian gendarmerie, a military police force, arrested and detained journalists Janvier Mouatangar and Anner Sabartang in the southwestern part of the country. On August 8, the commander of the gendarmerie in the city of Doba detained Mouatangar, a correspondent for the radio station La Voix…
Ethiopian authorities detain journalists Gobeze Sisay and Meaza Mohammed
Nairobi, September 12, 2022—The Committee to Protect Journalists on Monday called for the immediate and unconditional release of Ethiopian journalists Gobeze Sisay and Meaza Mohammed, and urged authorities to stop arresting members of the media for their work. About 8 a.m. Wednesday, September 7, federal police officers arrested Gobeze, editor and founder of privately owned…
Rwandan prosecutors request 22-year prison sentences for 3 Iwacu TV journalists
Nairobi, September 6, 2022—Rwandan authorities should release three Iwacu TV journalists held in detention, ensure they face no further legal harassment, and guarantee that members of the press are not imprisoned for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. Authorities arrested Damascene Mutuyimana, Shadrack Niyonsenga, and Jean Baptiste Nshimiyimana, reporters for the YouTube-based…
DRC police detain, beat 3 journalists covering protest
Kinshasa, September 2, 2022 – Authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo should thoroughly investigate the arrest, assault, and detention of journalists Jojo Jibikilayi, Emmanuel Tujibikila, and Achède Milantesa and hold the police officers responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On Monday, August 29, DRC national police officers arrested Jibikilayi,…
Mozambican journalist Gil Namelo assaulted, forced to delete photographs by port official
Around noon on August 13, 2022, Agostinho Conde da Silva, an official with Mozambique’s state-owned port and railway authority, assaulted journalist Gil Namelo in the port city of Quelimane, according to news reports, a statement by the Mozambique chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), and Namelo, who spoke to CPJ via messaging…
Four Zimbabwean journalists beaten, forced to delete footage by ruling party supporters
Lusaka, August 25, 2022 – Zimbabwean authorities should investigate the brutal assault of four journalists working for private media outlets, bring the perpetrators to justice, and ensure that party supporters do not attack members of the press covering political rallies, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. The reporters assaulted are: Chelsea Mashayaombe, a reporter…
Nigerian journalist Agba Jalingo detained over defamation, cyberattack complaint
Abuja, August 25, 2022–Nigerian authorities should drop all investigations into publisher Agba Jalingo, compensate him for his previous unlawful detention, and stop harassing the journalist, the Committee to Protect Journalist said Thursday. On August 19, a group of about 15 police officers arrested Jalingo, publisher of the privately owned news website CrossRiverWatch, at his home…
Congolese journalists Patrick Lola and Christian Bofaya unable to pay bail, denied release
Kinshasa, August 24, 2022 – Authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo should drop all legal proceedings against journalists Patrick Lola and Christian Bofaya after they spent more than eight months in arbitrary detention, and should not use excessive bail to keep journalists imprisoned, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. Lola, a freelance…
Five Guinean journalists attacked by demonstrators while covering protests
Dakar, August 19, 2022 – Guinean authorities should investigate the attacks on five journalists while they covered protests, hold those responsible to account, and ensure the press can work freely and safely while covering civil unrest, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. In separate incidents on July 7, 27, and 28, demonstrators assaulted and…