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Tag: Journalists

Africa World 

Record high number of journalists jailed globally in 2021

Elwin Mandowa, , , , , ,

– – A record high number of journalists were jailed in 2021, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has said. In a report released on Thursday, the group said the high numbers showed how bleak the year was for defenders of press freedom. According to CPJ’s 2021 prison census found the number of reporters jailed for their work hit a new global record of 293, up from a revised total of 280 in 2020. “At least 24 journalists were killed because of their coverage so far this year; 18 others died in circumstances…

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Africa Egypt North Africa World 

Egypt frees Al Jazeera journalist after four years in detention

Elwin Mandowa, , , , , , , ,

– – Egyptian authorities on Saturday released a journalist working for Qatar’s Al Jazeera television network who was held in pre-trial detention for more than four years, his brother and a lawyer told Reuters. Mahmoud Hussein, an Egyptian detained in December 2016‮‮‮ ‬‬‬after arriving in Cairo from Doha on vacation, was held on charges of spreading false news, joining a banned group and receiving foreign funds. He was released after Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt agreed in January to restore diplomatic, trade and travel ties with…

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Africa East Africa World 

Ugandan police chief says journalists are beaten for their own safety

Elwin Mandowa, , , , , ,

– – Uganda’s Inspector General of Police, Martin Okoth Ochola, has said that beating up journalists in the line of their duties is for their own safety. Ochola has been under pressure to apologize for the violence meted out to journalists by security forces. Several journalists have suffered abuses and violence ahead of this month’s general elections in Uganda. The International Press Institute (IPI) in November last year, called on Uganda to investigate police attacks on reporters. The New York based rights group Human Rights Watch also warned that the…

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Africa World 

50 journalists killed in 2020 because of their work

Elwin Mandowa, , , , , ,

– – Fifty journalists were killed due to their work in the year 2020, a latest report by Reporters Without Borders revealed. According to the report by the group, most of the killings didn’t happen in countries experiencing conflicts. The report revealed that many of the killings were targeted after journalists published works focusing on organised crime, corruption or environmental issues. 387 journalists are currently detained in connection with their work, according to the report. Fourteen journalists have also been arrested in connection with their coverage of the coronavirus crisis.…

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Africa World 

Fighting sexual harassment in African media houses

Village Reporter, , , , ,

A multimedia campaign on sexual harassment in media houses across Africa dubbed #TimesUpAfriMedia has been launched by a group of media organizations. The campaign is meant to start series of activities to commemorate the UN’s 16 Days of Activism. African women journalists working in newsrooms, those within the media landscape as well as the associations that support them are backing the campaign. Groups behind the initiative said in a statement that the aim of the campaign “is to link arms and aims to call out the harassment and call in…

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Africa Central Africa World 

Burundi: 4 journalists charged with undermining state security

Village Reporter, , , , ,

Burundian authorities have charged four journalists on Saturday with a crime of undermining state security. The journalists were arrested this week as Burundi’s government continues to clamp down on journalists and human rights groups. According to local media reporting the journalists from a local news website outlet, Iwacu had travelled to report on violence in the northwestern province of Bubanza. They were arrested on Tuesday during this trip together with their driver. Radio journalist Christine Kamikazi, political reporter Agnès Ndirubusa, English-language journalist Egide Harerimana, photographer Térence Mpozenzi and driver Adolphe…

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Africa Featured West Africa World 

Sierra Leone: President’s bodyguards attack Journalists

Village Reporter, , , , , , ,

Sierra Leone’s government has said it will be constituting a committee to investigate the alleged attack on three local journalists. The journalists were “beaten” by presidential bodyguards in an attack at a football match. The Sports Writers Association of Sierra Leone said in a statement on Monday that two female TV commentators and another reporter were attacked while covering a World Cup qualifier between Sierra Leone and Liberia on Sunday in the capital Freetown. Frances Barnard and Esther Marie Samura from the state-owned SLBC TV station and freelance journalist Alimmamy Kamara were…

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Africa Gambia West Africa World 

The Gambian media; what’s changed after Jammeh’s exit

Village Reporter, , , , ,

The Gambian media for 22 years experienced all forms of harassment, abuses and threats to their work and all took place during the tenure of former President Yahya Jammeh. In 22 years there were reported disappearances and extra judicial killings. Some media outlets were being burnt to ashes, unlawful arrests and detention were the order of the day for journalists who were critical of the government modus operandi under Jammeh era. The Secretary General of the Gambia Press Union Saikou Jammeh testified at the ongoing Truth Reconciliation Commission that, 140…

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South American Security Forces Africa Opinions 

An Open Letter to All Journalists

Global Author, ,

By Arlene J. Schar and Dr. David R. Leffler Terrorism has taken a disturbing turn with the horrific murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Apparently the intent of this murder was to send a message to all journalists dedicated to thoughtful criticism of government. Therefore, what would be the most appropriate journalistic response to such blatant censorship? Is it to continue to report in good conscience, and risk brutal death? Or is it to step away from any controversial reporting and deny the truth to those who need to hear it? There is…

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Jailed for being journalists

Global Author, , , , , ,

On 23 June, Egypt jailed Al Jazeera English staff Mohamed Fahmy, Peter Greste and Baher Mohamed for simply doing their job as journalists. Mohamed Fahmy and Peter Greste were dealt seven years in prison for ‘broadcasting false news’ and apparently promoting the banned Muslim Brotherhood group. Baher Mohamed faces ten years behind bars; his sentence is longer as he has an additional charge of possessing a bullet casing, which he says he picked up as a souvenir. All three were arrested on 29 December. Security forces filmed the arrest of…

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