Tanzania

New York, November 30, 2004—The popular weekly Dira, Zanzibar's only independent newspaper, remains shuttered after a court refused to reverse a one-year-old government ban. The Committee to Protect Journalists called on authorities to lift the "outrageous" ban, and repeal laws that allow the government to silence critical reporting.

The High Court on Tanzania's semi-autonomous island ruled November 24 that Dira had violated registration procedures, rebuffing an effort by the newspaper to overturn the ban.

Although the number of journalists in prison in Africa at the end of 2003 was lower than the previous year, African journalists still faced a multitude of difficulties, including government harassment and physical assaults. Many countries in Africa retain harsh press laws. In the wake of the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, some countries have also moved to introduce tough antiterrorist legislation, which journalists fear could be used to stifle civil liberties, including press freedom. For example, Uganda, which faces a rebellion in the north, used its antiterrorism law in 2003 to shutter a radio station for more than a month.