Press freedom under threat in Africa as violence against journalists rises
Journalists and media outlets are facing increasing violence from politicians and their supporters in sub-Saharan Africa during election campaigns, the non-governmental organization (NGO) Reporters Without Borders (RSF) denounced today.
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Mundo Imprensa
More than 8% of African countries are now colored red on the 2024 World Press Freedom Index published Tuesday by the NGO, double the number recorded in 2023.
RSF points to Nigeria, where some 20 journalists were attacked in early 2023, even though the country climbed 11 places to 112th, and Madagascar (100th), where ten journalists were targeted during pre-election protests.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo (123rd), the detention of journalist Stanis Bujakera, awaiting trial on a trumped-up charge, is given as an example of politicians' frequent attempts to intimidate the media.
In other cases, the NGO said, politicians try to instrumentalize the media by creating their own outlets, as in Senegal (94th), the DRC and Nigeria, or, as in Togo, using regulators to take "arbitrary and disproportionate measures" against journalists and their employers.
Zimbabwe (116th), Gabon (56th) and Guinea (78th) climbed in the Index, but RSF said political authorities in those countries tightened their grip on news and information in the run-up to elections, arbitrarily cutting off the internet, expelling foreign journalists or interfering with radio and television broadcasts.
Restrictions often extend to foreign media, as several Sahel countries did with French-language international broadcasters such as France 24, RFI and TV5 Monde.
Niger (80th), Burkina Faso (86th) and Mali (114th) fell in the Index because of measures taken by military juntas that seized power in coups to obstruct the work of journalists.
In North Africa, journalists critical of Tunisia's president (118th), in power since 2019, have been arrested and interrogated, as they were before the 2010-2011 revolution.
RSF hailed improvements in Tanzania (97th), which climbed 46 places, and Mauritania (33rd).
Morocco (129th) saw its political indicator improve, but only because there were no new arrests, as the judicial harassment of journalists continues unabated.
The World Press Freedom Index, published annually by Reporters Without Borders, assesses the journalism environment in 180 countries and territories.
Read Also: Angola, Brazil and Portugal climb in press freedom index (Portuguese version)
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