More than dozen journalists killed in Sudan, others paying heavy toll in conflict prone regions, and are targets of attack during anti-government protests. Increasing censorship in the Sahel, while state actors remained the lead perpetrators of violations recorded.
Each month, IPI Africa has produced monthly ‘factsheets’ highlighting the press freedom violations and threats that have occurred across sub-Saharan Africa. This data is collected as part of our ongoing monitoring of threats to press freedom and independent journalism in the region.
Below is an annual round-up that summarises the key findings and takeaways based on our monitoring from 2024.
Key highlights
In 2024, IPI documented 376 incidents of violations and threats to press freedom in sub-Saharan Africa, affecting at least 480 journalists – who faced arrests, harassment, physical attacks, and censorship.
According to our data:
State actors were involved in most press freedom violations and threats documented
- State actors were involved in the vast majority of threats and violations against press freedom documented by IPI, accounting for over 87% of these incidents. Among these state actors, police and state security forces were most often involved. The police were involved in 60% of the cases, followed by government/public officials (21%) and regulatory bodies (11%).
The highest number of violations and attacks were documented in the West African countries of Nigeria, Senegal and Guinea
- Nigeria, Senegal and Guinea are the three countries with the highest number of violations, accounting for 30, 18, recorded in the last year, respectively. In Nigeria, the highest incidents occurred during the 10 days of anti-government protests, #EndBadGovernance, in August 2024. Several journalists were assaulted, detained, and denied access to sources of information. In Senegal, the highest incidents were recorded in February, during the anti-government public protests against the postponement of the presidential election. In Guinea, more than a dozen journalists were arrested in January while protesting against the military junta crackdown on journalists and media houses and the restriction of press freedom.
Physical, verbal, and online attacks accounted for the majority of violations documented
- Physical, verbal, and online attacks accounted for 40% of the total threats to press freedom that have been recorded. Specifically, there have been at least 149 such incidents out of 376 reported violations. These incidents typically occur among journalists covering public anti-government protests, pre- and post-election events, political campaigning, and other related activities. During periods of high political activity, such as election campaigns and public protests, there is a greater demand for information. As a result, authorities often exert control over the flow of information, leading to increased repression of the media and journalists. In addition to physical assaults, many journalists also face arrest, detention, and charges (31%) as well as censorship (18%). The monitoring recorded 11 cases of killing of journalists, with most having occurred in Sudan amid the ongoing conflict.
- Lack of investigation, accountability, redress, and reparation for attacks on journalists and press freedom remain significant challenges in advocating for the safety and protection of journalists. Those who are constitutionally mandated to protect journalists and ensure that press freedom is guaranteed often turn out to be the worst perpetrators of violations. Investigations into abuses of press freedom are rarely pursued by the authorities, which prevents the accountability of those responsible. This inaction emboldens state actors, particularly the police and state security, to continue abusing their power and using excessive force against media professionals who are performing their public information duties. Attacks on journalists and the damage to their equipment often go unresolved, with no compensation or reparations provided.
- Gender-disaggregation of IPI data: Female journalists targets of press freedom attacks represent 15% out of the 480 journalists victims. However, in reality, attacks and threats against women journalists could be higher than this, given various forms of unreported and undocumented incidents of threats aimed at women journalists both online and offline.
Key risk areas
Threats to media freedom and safety of journalists in conflict and insurgency zones:
- In Sudan, the press freedom situation has dramatically worsened since the war started between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary group, Rapid Support Force (RSF) in April 2023. Journalists exercising their role of disseminating information in the public interest are at high risk. In 2024, IPI monitoring recorded cases of at least seven journalists who were killed. Some were killed as part of the civilian casualties in home shelling and during raids launched by both warring parties while others were killed while performing their journalistic duties. For instance, in June 2024 alone, four journalists were reported killed. Similarly, two others were killed in September 2024. Several others fled the country out for security. Many other media houses and media infrastructures were damaged. Access to source information remains very challenging.
- In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the eastern part of the country remains a hotspot for press freedom and the safety of journalists. Two journalists, Edmond Bahati Monja of Radio Maria and Yoshua Kambere Machozi of Mpety community radio respectively in September and October. IPI monitoring has regularly recorded different threats to press freedom, ranging from arrest and detention, physical attacks, or forceful seizure of media infrastructures perpetrated both by state actors and non-state actors on journalists critical of either the central administration, local authorities, or discussing security threats posed by the rebel groups operating in the east of the country.
- In Somalia, where the security issues are critical because of the Al-Shabaab insurgency, state actors have perpetrated unlawful attacks on journalists and media aiming at silencing or intimidating them from critical reporting. One journalist, Amun Abdullahi Mohamed who has covered Al-Shaba activities in the suburb of Stockholm in Sweden was reportedly killed by individuals believed to have linked with the rebel group.
- In Mozambique security issues remain high due to the conflict in Cabo Delgado province. Critical reportage on the conflict is heavily repressed by the authorities through unlawful arrest and detention of journalists and legal harassment. Additionally, journalists covering the post-election protests were met with unparalleled repression from security forces, while others were arrested, and detained before being released.
- In Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger of the Sahel region, entrenched growing censorship has taken root, with a pervading atmosphere of self-censorship among journalists out of fear for their safety and life, state-sponsored censorship aimed at local and foreign critical media, and enforced conscription of independent journalists have become commonplace. Several foreign media were temporarily suspended because of their independent reportage on the insecurity issues posed by insurgent groups and the authorities’ response to it. A culture of intolerance by the authorities directed to media criticism has emerged under the pretext of the fight against the insurgent groups.
