Amnesty International Warns of Escalating Attacks on Journalists Across Africa

May 21, 2026 – Ethiopia –

Amnesty International has warned that governments across East and Southern Africa are intensifying crackdowns on journalists and independent media through arrests, intimidation, censorship, and restrictive legislation. In a report released ahead of World Press Freedom Day, the organization said authorities and armed groups increasingly targeted reporters while perpetrators of attacks on journalists continued to enjoy widespread impunity.

According to Amnesty International, journalists in several countries faced arbitrary detention, surveillance, harassment, and enforced disappearances during the past year. The organization said governments also relied on internet shutdowns, cybercrime laws, and media restrictions to suppress coverage, particularly during elections and periods of political unrest. Amnesty’s regional director for East and Southern Africa, Tigere Chagutah, stated that authorities were weaponizing criminal justice systems and vaguely worded laws to silence independent reporting.

The report highlighted Ethiopia, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo as countries where press freedom sharply deteriorated. In Ethiopia, media outlets reportedly lost licenses while journalists faced abductions and unlawful detention. Uganda was criticized for attacks on reporters covering parliamentary by-elections and for laws Amnesty said created a hostile climate for journalists reporting on LGBTQI+ issues and public affairs.

Amnesty also documented threats against journalists working in conflict zones. In eastern Congo, the M23 armed group allegedly detained, tortured, and threatened reporters, forcing many to flee areas under its control. In Sudan, journalists covering the ongoing war were subjected to killings, arrests, and abductions by both sides in the conflict. Mozambique’s security forces were accused of detaining and intimidating journalists attempting to document destruction linked to armed violence in Cabo Delgado province.

The organization further connected the deterioration of press freedom to a broader global decline in protections for journalists and independent media. Recent international reports and online discussions have reflected growing concern about expanding authoritarian pressure, restrictive national security laws, and increasing hostility toward journalists worldwide.

Amnesty International called on governments to immediately release detained journalists, drop charges connected to their reporting, and repeal laws restricting freedom of expression. The organization said continued impunity for attacks on journalists threatens public access to information and weakens democratic accountability throughout the region.

Reference –

Ethiopia: Further information: Abducted journalist found and released: Million Beyene