Lusaka ~ Wednesday, 14 December 2022
By Brightwell Chabusha
At least 56 journalists were imprisoned across Africa in connection with their work of December 1, 2022.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Egypt remains the top jailer of journalists across Africa, despite some releases under international pressure.
The Committee disclosed that Eritrea is one of the most censored countries in the world. The majority of the journalists imprisoned there have been detained without trial for 21 years, since the crackdown on the independent press in 2001.
“Cameroon has appeared on the census every year since 2014, with some currently jailed journalists held since 2016. Senegal has one journalist imprisoned for their work, Pape Ale Niang, marking the first time the country has been on the census since 2008,” read the report.
“Three of the four jailed journalists in Rwanda are YouTubers. Two of them are, Aimable Karasira and Dieudonne Niyonsenga allege that they have been tortured and ill-treated while imprisoned.”
The report charges that most of the journalists imprisoned in Africa are held on anti-state charges.
“French journalist Olivier Dubois, who was abducted in Mali April 2021, and five Tigrai TV journalists, detained in the rebel-held city of Mekelle in the northern Ethiopian state of Tigray, are not included in the census because they are in the custody of non-state actors. CPJ continues to call for their release,” read the report.
“Most of the journalists imprisoned in Africa are held on anti-state charges, and many are also held on false news and cybercrime allegations. Floriane Irangabiye, in Burundi, is the only woman journalist documented by CPJ as being imprisoned in Africa for her work as of December 1.”
[5:06 pm, 14/12/2022] Matthews Mayondi: Did you know that some countries still need a PCR test or proof of vaccination or both on entry , Not vaccinated come through for your PCR Test and get your results under 2hrs