IPI Africa’s monitoring of press freedom threats and violations in June recorded at least 40 incidents in 15 countries across the continent, with the highest number of incidents in Uganda, Sudan, Senegal, and DRC. These attacks have been perpetrated by security and law enforcement officers, representatives and supporters of political parties, and members of the public, with state actors being involved in the vast majority of cases.
In Uganda, a total of 7 incidents were recorded during this monitoring period. While reporting on the June 14 by-elections and the distribution of voting materials in the Bukedea District Local Council, in the eastern region of Uganda, four journalists were assaulted by security forces and unknown individuals. According to the Human Rights Network for Journalists (HRNJ) in Uganda, Eddy Enuru a correspondent for NBS TV, George Muron, a correspondent for Daily Monitor, a reporter (name withheld) at Mama Bukedea FM, and John Bosco Ojojo of Continental FM, were attacked and had their equipment confiscated by local officers.
Several cases of press freedom threats and violations were also reported in Sudan in June. For example, Journalist Khalda El Lagani was arrested and interrogated by a unit of military intelligence at the Argeen crossing border, journalist Zamzam Khatir was also arrested in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, while in Port Sudan, police officers assaulted journalist El Amin El Sheikh.
IPI also continues to monitor with concern attacks on press freedom in Senegal, with a number of cases of arrests and detentions of journalists documented in June. Cheikh Bara Ndiaye of Walfadjri TV was arrested and detained on June 4 after he published a commentary on the current socio-political crisis. Oustaz Assane Seck of Sen TV was also arrested and detained on June 7 after he declared in a video that there would be a public protest if Ousman Sonko, leader of an opposition party, was sentenced to prison.
In Kenya, Cabinet Secretary for Trade, Moses Kuria launched an attack on one of the local media outlets, Nation Media Group(NMG), labeling it as an ‘’opposition party’’ while speaking in Embu, the capital city of Embu County, in the eastern part of Kenya. Kuria also warned government departments not to place advertisements with NMG, saying, “From today, not even tomorrow, if any government department advertises with Nation Media, know you are on your way home”.
IPI monitors and collects data on press freedom violations in Africa using a standardized methodology that categorizes violations across the following main categories: physical, verbal or online attacks; arrests and charges against journalists; surveillance of journalists; cases of censorship; laws and regulations that restrict the press freedom; and restriction on access to information. Data are further disaggregated by gender. Our monitoring and data collection activities are part of IPI’s wider Africa programme, which aims to defend press freedom and the safety of journalists in sub-Saharan Africa.
