Nigerien journalist Samira Sabou charged with treason, cybercrime
Dakar, Senegal, October 12, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists has called on Nigerien authorities to drop all charges against journalist Samira Sabou and allow her to work freely. “Authorities in Niger must swiftly drop all legal proceedings against journalist Samira Sabou, return her phone, and ensure that journalists in the country can work without fear…
Tipping the scales: Journalists’ lawyers face retaliation around the globe
The smears began the day Christian Ulate began representing jailed Guatemalan journalist José Rubén Zamora: tweets accusing the lawyer of being a leftist or questioning his legal credentials. He began to fear he was being surveilled. Ulate had taken over the case in August 2022 from two other lawyers, Romeo Montoya García and Mario Castañeda,…
Private news websites restricted in Guinea for over a month
Dakar, Senegal, October 11, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists has called on Guinean authorities to investigate why the websites of privately owned news outlets Guinée Matin and Inquisiteur continue to be restricted in the country and ensure they are freely accessible without delay. “Guinean authorities must ensure a free flow of information in the country…
CPJ calls on Angolan authorities to release journalist Carlos Alberto
New York, October 6, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Angolan authorities to immediately release journalist Carlos Alberto, who was taken into custody on September 29 to serve a three-year prison sentence for criminal defamation, injurious denunciation, and violating press freedom. A team of 15 Criminal Investigation Service officers arrested Alberto, editor of the…
CPJ urges Uganda to investigate assaults on journalists covering opposition leader Bobi Wine
Nairobi, October 6, 2023–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls for an investigation into reports that Ugandan security personnel assaulted and detained multiple journalists covering the return home of opposition politician Robert Kyagulanyi, commonly known as Bobi Wine. At least 14 journalists, who were reporting on Wine’s return to Uganda from an overseas trip on Thursday,…
CPJ calls for transparency in South Sudan investigation into 2017 killing of journalist Christopher Allen
Nairobi, October 6, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists on Friday welcomed the South Sudan government’s creation of a committee to investigate the 2017 killing of British-American freelancer Christopher Allen, but called on authorities to ensure the inquiry is carried out credibly and transparently. South Sudan’s Cabinet Affairs Minister Martin Elia Lomuro formed a seven-member committee…
Three journalists detained in Ethiopia, transferred to military camp
Nairobi, October 5, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists on Thursday called on Ethiopian authorities to immediately release three journalists detained in late August and early September, and expressed grave concern about a pattern of detaining journalists amid an ongoing state of emergency. On August 26, 2023, police arrested Tewodros Zerfu, a presenter and program host…
CPJ calls for Burkina Faso to reverse suspension of Jeune Afrique
Dakar, October 4, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists on Wednesday called on Burkinabè authorities to lift their suspension of the French news magazine Jeune Afrique, reverse their suspension of other media outlets, and ensure journalists can work in the West African country without fear of reprisal. On September 25, the government issued an order, reviewed…
Angolan editor Daniel Frederico faces criminal defamation charges
Nairobi, October 3, 2023—Authorities in Angola must drop charges of criminal defamation and insult against journalist Daniel Frederico and stop criminalizing his reporting, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Tuesday. Last week, a district court in the Angolan capital Luanda summoned Frederico, editor of news portal Reporter Angola who publishes under the pen name…
Two Nigerian journalists charged with cybercrime over corruption reports
Abuja, October 3, 2023—Authorities in Nigeria should swiftly drop all charges against journalists Aiyelabegan Babatunde AbdulRazaq and Oluwatoyin Luqman Bolakale and allow them to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Tuesday. On September 11, police officers detained AbdulRazaq and Bolakale, publishers of the independent news websites Just Event Online and The Satcom…