Africa

2012

  
Koffi Olomide performs in a hotel in Lukasa. (The Post)

In Zambia, musician accused in attack on photographer

Nairobi, December 31, 2012–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on authorities in Zambia to thoroughly investigate accusations that a well-known rhumba musician attacked a freelance photographer on Friday at a concert in Lusaka, the capital.

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Eritrean Information Minister Ali Abdu Ahmed (Somali Mirror)

Where is Eritrean Information Minister Ali Abdu?

Eritrean Information Minister Ali Abdu Ahmed, government spokesman and censor-in-chief of the Red Sea nation, has been invisible in the past few weeks. The total absence of any independent press in Eritrea has allowed the government to maintain complete silence in the face of mounting questions and surging Internet rumors of his defection. It was…

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Djibouti President Ismael Omar Guelleh addresses the media after his re-election in April 2011. (AP)

In Djibouti, journalist defiant despite revolving jail door

Online journalist Houssein Ahmed Farah spent more than three months in jail in Djibouti before an appeals court finally released him in November–after his defense requested bail three times, Houssein said. His crime? Officially nothing. “It appears to have been an arbitrary arrest because there is still no evidence on file,” Houssein told me. He…

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Sudan detains two Eritrean journalists

New York, December 26, 2012–Sudanese authorities have detained without charge since Monday two Eritrean journalists, Abdalal Mahmoud Hiabu and Haroun Adam, from the Sudan-based Eritrean Centre for Media Services, according to local journalists, family, and news reports.

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This cover story led to the arrest of two journalists in Nigeria. (Al-Mizan)

Journalists detained in Nigeria for more than two days

Abuja, Nigeria, December 26, 2012–Nigerian authorities must immediately release two journalists who have been detained since Monday and allow a third journalist who has fled into hiding to return to his home and work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. In pre-dawn raids on Monday, about 40 armed security agents arrested Aliyu Saleh,…

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Somali refugees in Kenya are ordered to report to the Dadaab refugee camp, which already holds more than 450,000 people. (Mohamed Abdi)

Somalis in Kenya hounded by security forces, refugee policy

Exiled Somali journalists living in Nairobi were struck with disbelief this week when daily newspapers published a statement by the Department of Refugee Affairs ordering all Somali refugees to move to refugee camps. “The refugees, particularly those living in urban centers, are contributing to insecurity in the country,” the statement read. The acting commissioner for…

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Guinean radio talk shows censored

New York, December 21, 2012–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns a series of censorship measures imposed this month by media regulators in Guinea against three popular current affairs talk shows stemming from news commentary critical of officials. 

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Authorities in Burkina Faso suspend newspaper

Burkina Faso’s state-run media regulatory agency imposed a seven-day suspension on private daily Le Quotidien on December 13, 2012, after accusing its editor of repeatedly violating the press law, according to news reports.

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Members of the European Parliament take part in a voting session in Strasbourg, France, on June 13, 2012. (AFP/Frederick Florin)

Members of European Parliament call to free Eskinder

On December 18, 16 members of the European Parliament (MEPs) wrote an open letter to Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn calling for the immediate release of the independent journalist and blogger Eskinder Nega, who was condemned in July to 18 years in prison under the country’s tough 2009 anti-terrorism legislation.

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(Ozioma Ubabukoh)

Nigerian reporter stopped from filing on governor’s health

Abuja, Nigeria, December 18, 2012–State security agents in Southeast Nigeria blocked a reporter from filing a story Saturday evening about the status of a governor who hasn’t been seen for several months. The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned this act of crude censorship. At about 11:30 p.m. local time Saturday, seven plainclothes men accosted…

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2012