Africa

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Spotlight: Access to Information Africa Attacks Gender

Free expression under assault in Uganda, freedom of assembly wins in South Africa, and fear a way of life for LGBTQI+ in Tanzania

6 December 2018
Reyhana Masters for IFEX. Based on IFEX member reports

Africa in November: Continued attacks on LGBTQI+ community and detention of CPJ staffers in Tanzania, an outspoken academic arrested - again, a petition challenging freedom of assembly filed, Unwanted Witness takes government to court over internet shutdown in Uganda, and more.

Uganda Censorship Free Expression & the Law Gender

Stella Nyanzi: Challenging power through "radical rudeness"

Stella Nyanzi is one of Africa's most prominent gender rights activists; her colourful criticisms of President Museveni gained her international prominence, but also landed her in jail.

‎ IFEX‎ 5 December 2018

Access to Information Eritrea Free Expression & the Law

Dawit Isaak and the failure of silent diplomacy: In conversation with Björn Tunbäck

Björn Tunbäck of Reporters Without Borders (Sweden) and Swedish PEN has been involved in the campaign for journalist Dawit Isak's release from the start. He told Cathal Sheerin about the campaign in Sweden and what states and intergovernmental organisations could be doing, but aren't.

‎ Cathal Sheerin for IFEX ‎ 5 December 2018

Zimbabwe Digital Rights

MISA Zimbabwe raises violation of privacy rights with Speaker of Parliament

MISA Zimbabwe has written to the Speaker of Parliament expressing its concern over the use of facial recognition equipment being used on roads in the absence of adequate and clear data privacy legislation.

‎ Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)‎ 5 December 2018

Latest from Africa

RSF contends Congolese journalist Peter Tiani does not belong in prison

‎ Reporters Without Borders (RSF)

Digital Rights Democratic Republic of Congo Free Expression & the Law 5 December 2018
Founder of Somalian rights-based NGO injured in targeted bomb attack

‎ African Freedom of Expression Exchange

Attacks Somalia 5 December 2018
SG of Mali's truth commission brutally assaults and threatens editor

‎ Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)

Attacks Mali 5 December 2018
West Africa: Expression of dissent in the form of demonstrations increasingly risky

‎ Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)

Africa Attacks Freedom of Assembly 29 November 2018
Security forces in Mali brutally break up demonstration

‎ Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)

Mali Attacks Freedom of Assembly 29 November 2018
Media sector concerned by South African politician's threats against journalist

‎ Reporters Without Borders (RSF)

South Africa Attacks 29 November 2018
Ugandan Unity FM radio station raided, taken off air and journalists arrested

‎ Human Rights Network for Journalists - Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda)

Uganda Free Expression & the Law 26 November 2018
Cameroon's leading journalist held on trumped up charges since 2016

‎ Reporters Without Borders (RSF)

Cameroon Free Expression & the Law 26 November 2018
Mauritius amends law to include harsh penalties for online content

‎ Reporters Without Borders (RSF)

Mauritius Digital Rights Free Expression & the Law 18 November 2018
RSF concerned by deteriorating press freedom in Gabon

‎ Reporters Without Borders (RSF)

Gabon Free Expression & the Law 17 November 2018
Two demonstrators shot and killed in Guinea

‎ Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)

Attacks Guinea Freedom of Assembly 17 November 2018
Media Ownership Monitoring Map shows media ownership trends

‎ Reporters Without Borders (RSF)

Access to Information Tanzania Digital Rights 17 November 2018
Guinea's media regulator asked to reconsider revoking of press accreditation

‎ Reporters Without Borders (RSF)

Guinea Free Expression & the Law 16 November 2018
AFEX calls on African governments to promote safety of journalists

‎ African Freedom of Expression Exchange

Impunity Africa Attacks Digital Rights 14 November 2018
Joint statement calls for release of Mauritanian blogger Mohamed Cheikh Ould Mohamed

‎ Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Human Rights Watch (HRW), International Publishers Association (IPA), PEN America, Reporters Without Borders (RSF)

Mauritania Digital Rights Free Expression & the Law 13 November 2018
Arrests and murder in Somalia, Facebook fact-checking in South Africa, and questioning official statistics in Tanzania – a crime?

‎ Reyhana Masters for IFEX. Based on member reports

Africa Attacks 8 November 2018
Twelve Uganda journalists on a hit list

‎ Human Rights Network for Journalists - Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda)

Uganda Attacks 7 November 2018
Detained CPJ staffers released in Tanzania

‎ Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)

Tanzania Free Expression & the Law 7 November 2018
Outspoken critic and journalist detained but not yet charged by Cameroonian authorities

‎ Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)

Cameroon Free Expression & the Law 31 October 2018
Nigerian soldiers arrest and detain "The Punch" journalist for 2 days

‎ Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)

Nigeria Free Expression & the Law 31 October 2018
Monrovia's famous showpiece chalkboard 'newspaper' deliberately damaged

‎ Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)

Liberia Attacks 31 October 2018
Zimbabwe battles for media freedom after milestone election

‎ International Press Institute (IPI)

Zimbabwe Attacks Free Expression & the Law 25 October 2018
Journalist Sylvanie Kiaku arrested, detained and charged with criminal defamation

‎ Journaliste en danger (JED), Reporters Without Borders (RSF)

Democratic Republic of Congo Free Expression & the Law 18 October 2018
Police arrest youth for attacking vendors and burning newspapers

‎ Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)

Zimbabwe Attacks 12 October 2018
Africa in September: From the crazy to the brave to the uniquely momentous

‎ Reyhana Masters for IFEX

Africa Free Expression & the Law Gender 8 October 2018
Mobile money transfer tax hike will impact on citizens' digital rights

‎ Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)

Zimbabwe Digital Rights 4 October 2018

At a glance

members working in this region 12

See list

Most covered free expression issues in this region

More from Africa

West Africa Freedom of Expression Monitor July-September 2018

Thirty-five violations were recorded in 12 countries with Nigeria recording the highest number. The findings show a slight reduction in the cases of violations compared to the previous quarter (April June, 2018) which recorded 40 violations.

Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) 30 October 2018
10th Transparency Assessment Report

This is the 10th Transparency Assessment Report of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), which examines the openness and transparency of public institutions in southern Africa.

Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) 27 September 2018
Pay No Attention to That Man Behind the Curtain

Exposing and Challenging Government Hacking for Surveillance

Privacy International 11 July 2018