South Africa / Africa

  

CPJ calls on SADC heads of state to prioritize press freedom and the safety of journalists

CPJ writes to the executive secretary and heads of state of the Southern African Development Community ahead of the 39th Ordinary Summit, urging them to prioritize press freedom and the safety of journalists in SADC.

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People take pictures with cells phones during the formal announcement of election results in Pretoria on May 11. Journalists covering the election had to contend with online harassment, doxxing, and threats. (AFP/Phill Magakoe)

Discredited, threatened, attacked: challenges of covering South Africa’s election in the digital age

In the lead up to South Africa’s elections in May, the Electoral Commission of South Africa accredited CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Angela Quintal as an international observer, monitoring press freedom. Quintal found that unlike 1994–when she covered the violence of the country’s first democratic elections–journalists in 2019 cited online harassment and threats as the biggest…

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Julius Malema, leader of the opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, speaks during a media briefing at Parliament in Cape Town, South Africa, on February 12, 2018. The Johannesburg High Court ruled on June 6, 2019, that Malema and the EFF violated the Electoral Act by doxxing Karima Brown in March. (Reuters/Sumaya Hisham)

South African court rules Malema, EFF violated Electoral Code of Conduct in Karima Brown doxxing incident

Johannesburg, June 6, 2019–The Johannesburg High Court ruled today that opposition politician Julius Malema and his political party, the Economic Freedom Fighters, had breached the country’s Electoral Code of Conduct by doxxing veteran journalist Karima Brown, according to a copy of the judgment seen by the Committee to Protect Journalists and news reports.

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Members of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) speak to the press in Cape Town, South Africa, on February 15, 2018. EFF leader Julius Malema doxxed prominent South African journalist Karima Brown on March 5, 2019, and she was later threatened, allegedly by party supporters. (AP Photo/Nasief Manie)

South African journalist doxxed by Economic Freedom Fighters leader, threatened

Washington, D.C., March 8, 2019–The Committee to Protect Journalists today expressed grave concern about threats and harassment against veteran South African journalist Karima Brown–allegedly by supporters of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)–after her phone number was published on Twitter by EFF leader Julius Malema. CPJ also called for the Electoral Commission of South Africa to…

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Art:Jack Forbes

South Africa elections 2019: Journalist safety kit

South Africa, one of the media freedom beacons in sub-Saharan Africa, will hold national and provincial elections on May 8. As the country celebrates 25 years of democracy, the press in South Africa faces old and new challenges, including physical harassment and cyber bullying. The press freedom environment, including the safety of journalists, will be…

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Venus symbols are seen during an event where UN Women and rights groups launched a campaign against violence towards women as International Women's Day approaches, in Mexico City, Mexico in March 2018. CPJ has documented threats faced by women journalists across the globe. (Reuters/Henry Romero)

On International Women’s Day, CPJ looks at threats women journalists face

From imprisonment, sexual violence, cyber harassment, and even death, CPJ has documented threats faced by women journalists across the globe.

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Lawyers leave the Johannesburg High Court in this March 2015 file photograph. (Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko)

South African court orders group to cease harassing journalists

New York, July 7, 2017–A Johannesburg High Court order forbidding a political organization from gathering outside the home of journalists who have reported on corruption, threatening them, or inciting others to harm them is a welcome victory for press freedom, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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CPJ calls for release of kidnapped South African journalist Shiraaz Mohamed

New York, January 17, 2017–The Committee to Protect Journalists today called for the immediate release of Shiraaz Mohamed, a South African freelance journalist who was kidnapped in Syria last week while documenting the humanitarian relief effort in northern Syria.

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Locals try to gain access to a shop during protests in Atteridgeville, a township west of Pretoria, on June 21. Several reporters were attacked covering protests and looting this week. (Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko)

South African reporters attacked covering protests, broadcaster suspends journalists

New York, June 24, 2014 – The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by media reports that South Africa’s public broadcaster suspended three journalists for opposing an editorial decision not to cover a protest. CPJ also calls for credible investigations into reports that police assaulted journalists covering unrest.

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Journalists released from prison, CPJ launches SecureDrop–and we throw a party!

CPJ Newsletter: June edition Khadija Ismayilova thanks CPJ, says she will fight for her cause Khadija’s first photo after jail pic.twitter.com/sj358k5WdU — Khadija Ismayilova (@Khadija_Ismayil) May 25, 2016 CPJ Europe and Central Asia Senior Research Associate Muzaffar Suleymanov spoke to investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova a few hours after her release from prison on May 25.

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