67 Journalists Jailed Across Africa as Global Groups Demand Release Amid Press Crackdown

January 27, 2025 – Africa –

A new report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has revealed that at least 67 journalists are currently imprisoned across Africa for their work, making the continent one of the most dangerous regions for media professionals. The report highlights a growing trend where governments across Africa are increasingly using anti-terrorism laws, cybercrime regulations, and pandemic-era emergency measures to silence critical journalism.

Countries such as Eritrea, Egypt, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe feature prominently in the report. Many of these journalists were arrested for covering politically sensitive issues, including corruption, government failures, human rights abuses, and mismanagement of public health responses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Authorities often charge journalists with vague offenses such as “spreading false news,” “undermining state security,” or “inciting public disorder.” In many cases, journalists remain in pre-trial detention for extended periods without formal charges or access to proper legal representation.

In response to the alarming increase in detentions, over 80 press freedom and human rights organizations, including the International Press Institute (IPI), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and regional groups like the East African Centre for Investigative Journalism, have jointly called for the immediate release of all jailed journalists across Africa. These groups argue that the criminalization of journalism violates fundamental rights to freedom of expression and access to information, both essential pillars of democratic societies.

The crackdown on journalists has drawn particular concern because many governments have used the COVID-19 pandemic as a pretext to further restrict press freedoms. Emergency decrees enacted to control the pandemic have often been misused to target critical voices, limit public scrutiny, and suppress independent reporting on government performance during the crisis.

Press freedom advocates are now urging African governments to undertake urgent legal reforms. They call for the repeal of broad and repressive laws that enable the arbitrary detention of journalists and demand stronger protections for those who risk their safety to inform the public. The ongoing imprisonment of these 67 journalists serves as a stark reminder of the fragile state of media freedom across Africa and the urgent need for international pressure and reform.

Reference – 

https://www.voanews.com/a/report-67-journalists-jailed-for-their-work-across-africa/7939697.html

Over 80 groups demand release of jailed journalists in Africa amid pandemic

https://legalbrief.co.za/diary/legalbrief-africa-new/story/cpj-report-finds-67-journalists-jailed-in-africa/