Africa

  
People take part in celebrations of the 27th anniversary of self-declared independence of Somaliland in Hargeisa, on May 15, 2018. Somaliland police on July 30, 2019, arrested four Eryal TV journalists filming a corruption story in Hargeisa. (Mustafa Saeed/AFP)

Somaliland police arrest Eryal TV journalists filming corruption story

On July 30, 2019, police in the breakaway region of Somaliland arrested four journalists from privately owned Eryal TV, according to statements issued by the press rights group Somaliland Journalists Association (SOLJA) and the non-governmental organization Human Rights Centre-Somaliland.

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A Cameroonian elite Rapid Intervention Battalion member walks along an empty street in the city of Buea in Cameroon's Anglophone southwest region on October 4, 2018. Cameroon’s military detained pidgin news anchor Samuel Wazizi on August 2, 2019, in Buea. (Reuters/Zohra Bensemra)

Cameroon’s military detains pidgin news anchor Samuel Wazizi

New York, August 13, 2019–Cameroonian authorities should immediately release without charge pidgin news anchor Samuel Wazizi, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Police arrested Wazizi, whose legal name is Samuel Ajiekah Abuwe, 11 days ago and handed him over to the military, which has since held him without access to his lawyer or family…

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CPJ calls on Tanzania’s Magufuli to drop Kabendera charges, investigate Gwanda case

CPJ writes to Tanzanian President John Magufuli to urge his government to drop charges against freelance journalist Erick Kabendera and provide a public accounting of the fate of missing journalist Azory Gwanda.

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Juba International Airport, pictured in October 2018. Two days before South Sudan's National Security Service detained Al-Watan editor Michael Christopher, the journalist had his passport confiscated at a Juba airport. (AFP/Akuot Chol)

South Sudan detains Al-Watan editor for over 3 weeks

New York, August 9, 2019—Authorities in South Sudan should immediately release Michael Christopher, editor-in-chief of the Arabic-language daily Al-Watan, and halt its harassment of his publication, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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A man looks at newspaper front pages in Dakar, on February 25, 2019, one day after Senegal's presidential elections. Senegalese authorities arrested critical journalist Adama Gaye on July 29. (AFP/Seyllou)

Senegalese authorities arrest critical journalist Adama Gaye

New York, August 9, 2019–Authorities in Senegal should immediately release and drop all charges against journalist Adama Gaye, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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A man rides a motorcycle as young people of the Sidama ethnic group, the largest in southern Ethiopia, celebrate at Hawassa city over plans by local elders to declare the establishment of a breakaway region for the Sidama, in Awasa, July 15, 2019. Authorities arrested three media workers from the Sidama Media Network on July 18. (AFP/Michael Tewelde)

Authorities arrest Sidama Media Network workers in southern Ethiopia amid unrest

Nairobi, August 9, 2019–The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on authorities in Ethiopia to disclose the charges against three media workers from the Sidama Media Network or release them immediately, and to guarantee that journalists operating in southern Ethiopia can report freely.

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Freelance journalist Erick Kabendera, who is detained in Tanzania. (Jamii Forums)

Tanzania switches track, charges Kabendera with economic crimes

Nairobi, August 05, 2019—Prosecutors in Tanzania today charged freelance journalist Erick Kabendera with money laundering, tax evasion, and assisting an organized crime racket, according to a copy of the charge sheet. When he was detained on July 29, the Dar es Salaam police chief said at a press conference that police were investigating Kabendera’s citizenship…

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AFP correspondent Deyda Hydara, front, pictured in November 1999. (AFP/Seyllou)

Deyda Hydara’s daughter: ‘I am still crying’ for murdered Gambian journalist

At Gambia’s Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) on July 22, army officer Lieutenant Malick Jatta named former President Yahya Jammeh as the mastermind behind the murder of prominent editor Deyda Hydara on December 16 , 2004. He said Jammeh had given the direct order to assassinate Hydara, an outspoken critic who was the managing…

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A man stands in front of a plaque in honor of missing Burundian journalist Jean Bigirimana in Bujumbura during a commemoration to mark one year after the journalist's disappearance on July 21, 2017. On August 2, 2019, CPJ joined a call for the U.N. Human Rights Council to extend the mandate of the Burundi Commission of Inquiry. (AFP/STRINGER)

CPJ joins call for U.N. Human Rights Council to extend mandate of Burundi Commission of Inquiry

The Committee to Protect Journalists today joined 40 other civil society organizations in calling on member and observer states of the U.N. Human Rights Council to extend for a year the mandate of the Commission of Inquiry on Burundi.

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A screenshot of Dar es Salaam police chief Lazaro Mambosasa, left, speaking at a July 30 press conference. Mambosasa said that police have detained freelancer Erick Kabendera. (YouTube/Kwanza TV)

Tanzania detains freelancer Kabendera over ‘citizenship’

Nairobi, July 30, 2019–The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on Tanzanian authorities to immediately release freelance journalist Erick Kabendera, whom police said is being investigated over his citizenship status.

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