Jamii Forums founder Maxence Melo convicted on obstruction charge, released in Tanzania
Nairobi, November 19, 2020 – The Committee to Protect Journalists today expressed concern about the conviction of Maxence Melo, founder of the Tanzanian online discussion platform Jamii Forums, on charges of obstruction. On November 17, the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court acquitted Melo on charges of operating a website that was not registered in Tanzania, but…
Journalists detained, attacked while covering contested election in Ivory Coast
New York, November 17, 2020 — Authorities in Ivory Coast should drop their investigation into journalist Yao Alex Hallane Clément, and cease intimidating and harassing members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On November 3, police officers arrested Yao, a reporter with the privately owned PDCI 24 TV broadcaster, along with…
Nigerian authorities must account for death of journalist Onifade Emmanuel Pelumi
Abuja, November 13, 2020–Nigerian authorities should ensure a credible and transparent investigation into the death of journalist Onifade Emmanuel Pelumi, a reporter with the independent online Gboah TV broadcaster, and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Pelumi, 20, was last seen alive on October 24 in custody of police…
Ethiopian authorities arrest Addis Standard editor Medihane Ekubamichael
Nairobi, November 13, 2020 – Ethiopian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release journalist Medihane Ekubamichael, and stop detaining members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On November 7, federal police arrested Medihane, an editor at the privately owned news website Addis Standard, at his home in Addis Ababa, the capital, and…
Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono denied bail in obstruction case
New York, November 12, 2020 – Zimbabwean authorities should stop their relentless victimization of award-winning journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and ensure that the charges against him are dropped, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Today in the capital, Harare, magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa denied Chin’ono bail on a charge of defeating or obstructing justice, claiming that the…
Ethiopian journalist Bekalu Alamrew arrested, accused of disseminating false news
Nairobi, November 10, 2020 — Today the Committee to Protect Journalists called on Ethiopian authorities to immediately release broadcast journalist Bekalu Alamrew, who was arrested on November 4 and has not been formally charged. Three uniformed police officers and one plain-clothed officer arrested Bekalu from the Addis Ababa offices of the privately-owned Awlo Media Center,…
Journalists harassed, detained, and sentenced to jail in South Sudan
New York, November 5, 2020 — South Sudanese authorities should immediately release journalists Zechariah Makuach Maror and Jackson Ochaya and halt all acts of intimidation against the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On September 1, Ochaya, a reporter with the privately owned No. 1 Citizen newspaper, went missing and was later confirmed…
Nigeria journalist Oga Tom Uhia detained for weeks on defamation complaint
Abuja, November 4, 2020–Authorities in Nigeria should immediately release Oga Tom Uhia, the publisher of local monthly magazine Power Steering, which covers the electrical power sector, and drop all charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On October 13, police arrested Uhia at his residence in Gwarimpa, a suburb of Nigeria’s capital, Abuja,…
Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono rearrested, charged with contempt of court
New York, November 3, 2020 – Zimbabwean police arrested journalist Hopewell Chin’ono at his home in Harare, the capital, earlier today and charged him with contempt of court for an October 28 tweet citing judges’ alleged criticism of Zimbabwean Chief Justice Luke Malaba, according to a Twitter post by Rose Hanzi, executive director of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights. According…
CPJ welcomes repeal of criminal libel in Sierra Leone, urges further reform
Abuja, Nigeria, October 30, 2020 – The Committee to Protect Journalists today welcomed Sierra Leone’s repeal of its criminal libel laws, and called for further reforms to ensure that journalists can work freely. On October 28, President Julius Maada Bio signed a law revising the country’s 1965 Public Order Act to remove measures that criminalized…