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Disenchanted Liberians Recount First Social Media Blackout Experience

Felicia Anthonio
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Disenchanted Liberians Recount First Social Media Blackout Experience

The Liberian government on June 7, 2019 ordered Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the country to block social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and messaging app WhatsApp on mobile devices, thus digitally cutting off about 4,028,418 (December 2018) Facebook subscribers in the country. The historic digital curfew was an attempt by the government to quell anti-corruption protests scheduled to take place on the same day.

 However, not even the nationwide network disruption could stop thousands of Liberians to commune on the Capitol Hill, which houses the Seat of government, the National Legislature and the Judiciary where they presented a petition to the government.  The protests which was dubbed “Save The State” was against alleged state corruption, bad governance and creeping dictatorship.

Over the years, the African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX’s) monitoring has shown that several governments in Africa have resorted to Internet shutdowns to silent dissidents during important national events such as elections and public protests. Others have even shut down the Internet during examinations ostensibly to prevent cheating. These disruptions have been proven to have serious repercussions for the economy and daily activities of citizens.  

 AFEX spoke to a number of people who shared their experiences on how the shutdown, the first of its kind in Liberia, affected their daily activities.

Emmett Cooker, a student of Public Administration and graduate of the United Methodist University expressed his disappointment in what he described as “destructive” decision by the government to shut down all social media networks.

“Such act is anti-democratic and speaks to the high level of intolerance and unwillingness of the government to allow dissent” Emmett added.

Junior Roberts who operates a small internet cafe a few miles away from Monrovia told AFEX that:

“We have had enough in this country and our patience has run out with this government. Why will they close all the social media platforms in the county? When they were protesting for the past twelve years here in this country (referring to opposition protests against the former regime), did anyone ever shut down Facebook? It is unacceptable.”

Forgeb Kloh a practicing journalist and student of the University of Liberia’s Department of Mass Communication said she felt “really bad” because she was unable to talk to her family members out of Liberia.

She added that “it was unexpected; the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) should have informed us before carrying out such action, at least that little respect shown us subscribers would have been better. “

Not only did the shutdown affect ordinary citizens, it also affected media houses and the work of journalists who use these media platforms particularly, Facebook to publish news items in Liberia.

On the day of the protests, Liberia’s leading investigative newspaper, FrontPage Africa’s website and Facebook page were inaccessible for six hours for unexplained reasons.

The editor, Lenart Dodo expressed his frustration about the shutdown:

“Thousands of people in Liberia and the diaspora depend on our website and Facebook page for updates from Liberia. We believe this was a blatant disregard for free press and an attempt to suppress Freedom of Information”.

Prime FM’s News Director, Jutonu Kollie said the government ordered the shutdown to prevent protesters from updating the world about the protests.

“Little did I know that the Liberian government has shutdown the Internet system for fear that Anti-Weah protesters would have live-streamed and posted events or photos that could further exacerbate the protest,” lamented Kollie who also regretted some missed opportunities.

“These live videos and photos as well as updates from the protesting crowd would have afforded me the opportunity to apply for some international training programs and or receive compensations from these foreign entities.”

 The Minister of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism, Eugene Nagbe confirmed that government had ordered the social media blackout over “security concerns.”

The social media shutdown was restored on the evening of June 7 after 12 hours .

As the citizens lament the disruption to their daily activities of the shutdown, the government and businesses must also be counting the cost of the blackout. According to the NetBlocks Cost of Shutdown Tool, which estimates the economic impact of internet shutdowns or network disruptions, the 12-hour blockade of social media platforms in Liberia cost the country at least LD$17,781,180 (US$109,913). The cost breakdown is gathered using indicators from the World Bank, ITU, Eurostat and U.S. Census.

AFEX Joins Its Member, CEMESP to Condemn Social Media Blackout in Liberia Amidst Protests

Felicia Anthonio
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AFEX Joins Its Member, CEMESP to Condemn Social Media Blackout in Liberia Amidst Protests

This statement was originally published by CEMESP on June 7, 2019. 

In the wake of the June 7th protest in Liberia there has been noticeable shut down of internet. Social media platforms, specifically the Facebook space that has risen in user traffic over the years has strangely been inaccessible using the two GSM service providers Lone Star and Orange.

Some newspapers including one of the leading daily Frontpage Africa with online portals have also confirmed that they surprisingly noticed that their sites have been somewhat tampered with on the day of the June 7th Protest in Monrovia.

Many Liberians have surmised and attempted to make the connection that this development could be part of a gag measure that serves the government’s disinclination towards critical and incendiary comments and contents with potential to result to a major conflagration in reversing the fragile peace.

However, some internet users whose facilities are powered by broad-bands have claimed that they were able to access the internet.

There has been no reaction from the Internet service providers about the shut down which, smacks of a collision with the government’s disinclination to allow the barrage of critical comments and propaganda floodgate that has since been opened in the build up to June 7 protest. The embattled government of President George Weah has equally not yet commented on the internet service interruption.

Digital Rights Groups including Center for Media Studies and Peacebuilding, CEMESP are appalled by this situation and are calling for an official statement from the service providers to dispel conspiracy theory.

Digital rights groups have used the incident as an opportunity to challenge any form of covert or overt clamp down on freedom of expression, whilst doffing hat to the government, the organizers of the protests and the Liberian populace for the good natured exercise of their civil liberties in converging on the capitol building to present their petitions without any drama and reported fatalities as was initially feared.

Students Assault TV Station Crew, Set Vehicle Ablaze in Kenya

Felicia Anthonio
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Students Assault TV Station Crew, Set Vehicle Ablaze in Kenya

The African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) calls on the police to expeditiously investigate and punish unruly students who physically assaulted a crew working with the Kenya Television Network (KTN).

In a statement issued by Kenya Editors’ Guild, some students of the St Stephen’s Girls Secondary School in Machakos county on June 3, 2019, hurled stones at Caroline Bii, a reporter who had gone to the school to follow up on a story about a missing student. Bii was in the company of Boni Kirera, cameraman, and Immaculate Joseph a driver, all working with KTN, when the students attacked them. The irate students went ahead to set ablaze the crew’s vehicle containing their equipment.  

According to local media reports, the Headmaster of the school, John Kyalo, who was present at the scene looked on and even incited the students to attack the reporter and her team. Kyalo had earlier declined an interview with the KTN crew accusing them of projecting a bad image about his school.

The TV crew had visited the school together with Mary Mukami, the missing girl’s mum. The management had explained that her daughter was in a South B Estate, a suburb in Nairobi. However, the explanation given by the school irritated Mukami who vehemently demanded her daughter from the teachers. This was when the Headmaster incited the students of the school to lash out on the TV crew and assaulted them.  

On the same day (June 3, 2019), Kyalo was arrested by police for instigating the attack against the journalists.

AFEX welcomes the swift intervention by local police in the matter. We join Kenya Editors’ Guild and other media rights groups to denounce these acts of vandalism which are a threat to the safety of journalists and press freedom in the country.   

This blatant act of lawlessness, allegedly, instigated by those in authority cannot be left unattended. It is absolutely wrong and unacceptable for students to be used as puppets to perpetrate such violent acts against the media in a country like Kenya, where the right to freedom of expression and press freedom is enshrined in the national Constitution.    

We also call on the management of the school to work closely with the police in order to identify the students involved in this barbaric act and punish them to serve as a deterrent to others.  

AFEX also urges the Ministry of Education and the Teacher’s Service Commission to launch an urgent inquiry into the Headmaster’s conduct and sanction him.  

The authorities must also ensure that all destroyed equipment are replaced immediately.

AFEX Deplores Massive Crackdown on Free Expression Rights by Sudanese Army

Felicia Anthonio
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AFEX Deplores Massive Crackdown on Free Expression Rights by Sudanese Army

The African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) condemns the ongoing violations of the freedom of expression rights of the Sudanese people and urges the military in Sudan to put an end to the numerous infractions against media organisations, journalists and protesters.

Sudan’s military council on May 30, 2019 shut down the Khartoum office of news broadcaster, Al Jazeera in an attempt to stop the TV channel from covering the ongoing protests and other developments in the country. According to media reports, the authorities also raided the bureau of the station, confiscated some of its broadcast equipment and revoked licenses of staff of the Qatar-based TV station while ordering them to leave the country. 

That action is the latest in a series of military crackdown on media independence and press freedom in the country.

On May 27, 2019, a military force raided the premises of a news agency, Ramtna Agency for Media Production in Khartoum. The soldiers arrested a producer, a camera man, and manager of the firm. The military also confiscated equipment, cameras, computers in addition documents belonging to the Media house without any reasons. The action is believed to be linked the Ramtna’s extensive coverage of the protests in the country.

Earlier on May 14, 2019, the National Press Council, media regulatory body in Sudan censored the media by ordering them to desist from publishing articles on corruption cases in the country. The directive which was conveyed in a letter to media houses in Sudan said such articles could prejudice corruption cases before the court.

Besides the repression against media houses, individual journalists have also been targeted in the ongoing clampdown.

On May 21, 2019, officials of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary unit arrested and detained overnight, journalist, Wael Mohamed El Hassan. The security agents interrogated El Hassan alongside a number of journalists who had participated in a media vigil held at the Omdurman Television Station. The vigil, organised by media associations in Sudan was in protest of the increasing press freedom and human rights abuses recorded in the country.

Similarly, Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and RSF Intelligence on May 25, 2019 denied six media personnel access to the premises of the Sudan National Television after they had participated in peaceful protests organised by the Sudanese Media Men Alliance the previous week. (May 15, 2019)

Also, the Media Council ordered the Director General of the National TV Corporation to stop broadcasting a political discussion programme on TV after he had hosted a number of journalists on the programme the previous day.

The violations turned bloody on May 14, 2019 when Members of the Sudanese security forces shot and killed five protesters. An army officer also died in the overnight clashes between soldiers and protesters.

In a separate incident, the Sudanese committee of doctors also reported that security forces had on May 30, 2019 killed a young man who was a few meters away from the military headquarters where protesters have been picketing for the past couple of weeks. On the same day, (May 30) Maj Gen Othman Hamed of Sudan’s paramilitary,  RSF described the sit-in protests as a threat to ‘national security.’

These violations are a painful irony for the Sudanese people whose months of protests led to the ouster of long-serving military strongman, Omar al-Bashir. It is unacceptable for the ruling Junta which came to power on the back of these demonstrations to turn round and brutalise the people.  

AFEX condemns the military’s attempt to entrench themselves in breach of Sudan’s constitution and its disregard for several calls by the international community including the African Union (AU) to cede power to a civilian administration.

We urge the AU and the UN to call the Sudanese Junta to order by imposing diplomatic sanctions targeted at members of the regime.

AFEX further calls on the military to halt the crackdown on press freedom and human rights in the country. 

AFEX Appeals to African Governments to Actively Promote and Defend Freedom of Expression ahead of World Press Freedom Day Celebration

Felicia Anthonio
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AFEX Appeals to African Governments to Actively Promote and Defend Freedom of Expression ahead of World Press Freedom Day Celebration

In the next few days, hundreds of stakeholders across the globe will converge in Africa in the Ethiopian capital and host city of the African Union, Addis Ababa, to commemorate this year’s World Press Freedom Day.

Commemorated annually on May 3, since 1993, the day is set aside to celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom; assess the state of press freedom throughout the world; defend the media from attacks on their independence; and pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

Journalists remain the major drivers and vehicles for advancing the fundamental rights to free expression and access to information in Africa as in other parts of the world. However, the safety of journalists continues to be a huge challenge with increasing reports of attacks such as arbitrary arrest and detention, jailing, physical assault, crippling fines, use of or introduction of laws that are inimical to freedom of expression and even killings, which are used as weapons to silence critical journalism in many countries around the world.

As we prepare to celebrate this important event which re-echoes the indispensable role of the media in advancing freedom of expression and access to information rights, the African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) presents in this article the various mechanisms available for governments in Africa to actively engage in promoting safety of journalists and the overall freedom of expression situation in their respective countries.

How can African Governments Actively Promote the Exercise of Freedom of Expression Rights and Safety of Journalists?

Firstly, one principal medium where African governments can demonstrate their commitment towards promoting free expression and safety of journalists is by increasingly supporting and co-sponsoring freedom of expression and safety of journalists’ resolutions at various multilateral forums such the United Nations General Assembly, the UN Human Rights Council, among others.

According to our reports, about  11 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have co-sponsored freedom of expression resolutions since the first resolution was adopted in 2012 in Geneva, Switzerland.

There is the need for more African governments to prioritise the support of such resolutions. When African governments co-sponsor or support freedom of expression resolutions, it makes them accountable in ensuring their implementations. It is therefore important for governments to fully participate in the monitoring and reporting of the implementation of these resolutions, which in essence, is a sign of their commitment to international human rights instruments and frameworks, and in particular, to promoting the safety of journalists and combatting impunity.

Once governments are actively involved in the implementation process, it provides an opportunity for them to be abreast with the challenges and threats that journalists and other media practitioners face at the national level and thus, put in place the necessary measures in protecting journalists.

Similarly, African states should adopt mechanisms to strengthen national data collection, analysis and reporting on the number of verified cases of killing, kidnapping, enforced disappearance, arbitrary detention, torture and other harmful acts against journalists and associated media personnel, in accordance with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicator 16.10.1. It is therefore crucial for African governments to commit more resources to investigating attacks against journalists and providing information regarding judicial investigations on such attacks.                                 

This information should also be shared with relevant actors, including the UNESCO Director-General (DG), the Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression and access to information in Africa of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) as part of their periodic safety of journalists’ reports.

For instance, in 2018, the UNESCO Director-General sent requests to 56 member states regarding the killing of 893 journalists out of a total of 1,010 fatalities that UNESCO had recorded between 2006 to end of 2017. Sadly, only five countries in sub-Saharan Africa – Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Somalia and Nigeria – out of the 17 that were contacted responded to the UNESCO Director-General’s request.  Such a situation does not reflect well on the continent as it presents a picture of governments that are unconcerned about the high rate of killings of their citizens, particularly in professionals working in a sector touching upon an internationally protected human right.

Additionally, African governments must collaborate with other stakeholders such as civil society actors, journalists and security agents in securing justice for victims of freedom of expression violations as well as victims of other crimes perpetrated against journalists and allied professionals.

Over the years, it has been observed that obtaining justice for victims of crimes against journalists requires a lot of resources, including human and technical support from law enforcement agencies and prosecutorial bodies who are usually tasked with investigating such crimes against journalists and punishing perpetrators. Governments also have financial resources which civil society organisations and media organisations do not always readily have at their disposal to pursue investigations of such crimes to a logical conclusion.

African governments should ensure that their laws, policies and practices are in full compliance with the available international obligations and commitments on the safety of journalists, as required by UN resolutions on freedom of expression and the safety of journalists. This includes the repeal of criminal libel and defamation laws as stipulated in regional, continental and international frameworks. The recent decision of the African Court on Human and People’s rights in 2014 in the case of Konate v Burkina Faso, where the Court ruled that the imprisonment of journalists under criminal defamation laws violates the right to freedom of expression, has removed any lingering uncertainty on this issue.

AFEX urges African countries to support the upcoming resolution on safety of journalists which is expected to be passed by the UN General Assembly at the end of 2019.

African states should support the work of the African Commission’s Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression and access to information in Africa by providing the necessary resources to enable him undertake periodic missions to monitor and address identified challenges in the various countries where there is a deterioration in respect for the right to freedom of expression.

Additionally, we call on governments and other stakeholders to seriously consider the, recommendations and actions contained in statements or declarations issued by the Special Rapporteur.

Nowhere around the world can the work of journalists and other media practitioners be more relevant and important than in Africa which has for long been regarded as the “Dark Continent” because of the level of ignorance that has bedevilled the region.  African leaders must be in the vanguard of charting a new direction for the continent.

We wish you all a fruitful deliberation in Addis Ababa or wherever you may be commemorating this very important day.

AFEX Vehemently Condemns Tanzania’s Detention, Deportation of Executive Director of Uganda-based Organisation, CIPESA

Felicia Anthonio
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AFEX Vehemently Condemns Tanzania’s Detention, Deportation of Executive Director of Uganda-based Organisation, CIPESA

The African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) joins its Uganda-based member, the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA), to deplore the detention and subsequent deportation of Dr. Wairagala Wakabi who is the Executive Director of CIPESA.

According to CIPESA, Dr. Wakabi was detained by immigration officials upon arrival at the Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salam, Tanzania earlier today (April 25, 2019), with the authorities stating no basis for his detention. He was later deported to his home country, Uganda.

Dr. Wakabi is among other civil society actors who have been invited to participate in the annual commemoration of the Tanzania Human Rights Defenders’ Day hosted by the Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition (THRDC). The event which is scheduled to take place on April 28, 2019, is preceded by a two-day workshop aimed at engaging civil society organisations, online journalists and human rights activists on how to safely use online platforms for promotion and protection of human rights.

CIPESA is also one of the civil society organisations nominated to receive an award for is regional work in promoting human rights online during the event.

After several hours of detention and interrogation, AFEX has learnt with disappointment that the Tanzanian authorities have deported Dr. Wakabi back to Uganda. At the time of issuing this statement, lawyers of the human right activist remained the Tanzanian authorities had not given any reason for his deportation except for the untenable reason of “national interest”.

This is not the first time authorities in Tanzania have detained human rights activists visiting the country. Last year, immigration officials on November 8, 2018 detained two staff of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Angela Quintal and Muthoki Mumo, who were in the country on assignment. They were detained in their hotel room in Dar es Salaam and were later taken to an unknown location. They were released the following day.

AFEX is seriously concerned about the continued use of such repressive measures to further limit the already shrinking civic space in Tanzania and the East African region at large.

We join CIPESA to condemn the detention and subsequent deportation of Dr. Wakabi. We call on governments and stakeholders across the continent to join rights groups in denouncing this blatant abuse of power to violate the fundamental rights of Dr Wakabi and all other civil society activists being harassed in this manner.

AFEX Denounces Increasing Attacks on Journalists in Africa, Calls for an End to Impunity for Such Crimes

Felicia Anthonio
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AFEX Denounces Increasing Attacks on Journalists in Africa, Calls for an End to Impunity for Such Crimes

Resolution of the Seventh General Meeting of the African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) held in Berlin, Germany, on April 7, 2019.

The Seventh General Meeting of the African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX), a network of African freedom of expression and media development organisations which are members of the global press freedom advocacy network, IFEX, was held in Berlin, Germany, on Sunday, April 7, 2019.

The meeting was held ahead of the biennial IFEX Strategy Conference and General Meeting and was presided over by Mr Edetaen Ojo, Chairperson of AFEX’s Steering Committee, who is also the Executive Director of Media Rights Agenda (MRA). The meeting was attended by representatives of eleven of AFEX’s 12 member organisations from West, East, Central and Southern Africa. AFEX members present at the meeting reviewed the activities implemented by the network from November 2018 to April 2019.

The meeting also discussed challenges and developments around the freedom of expression and media freedom situations in Africa as well as lessons learnt during the past year.  The meeting outlined strategies for addressing or responding to the existing and emerging threats to freedom of expression and media freedom on the continent. The meeting also provided an opportunity for members to share experiences about the safety of journalists’ situation in different countries and regions in Africa and how to confront widespread impunity for crimes against journalists in the respective countries or regions. 

Members of AFEX resolved to increase awareness about the need for African governments to adopt or put in place monitoring and reporting mechanisms at the national and regional levels aimed at promoting the safety of journalists’ situation on the continent and the overall improvement of the freedom of expression situation in Africa.

At the end of the meeting, members of the Network unanimously resolved to:

  • DENOUNCE the attacks on and violations of the rights of journalists, media practitioners, freedom of expression activist groups and individuals across the continent, particularly in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon, as well as the increasing crackdown on the media and journalists working in Mozambique, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Nigeria in recent times. Several journalists have been arbitrarily arrested, detained, jailed or physically assaulted for exercising their fundamental right to freedom of expression and access to information in these countries.

 

  • CONDEMN the continued detention of Mozambican journalist, Amade Abubacar who has been in detention since January 5, 2019 without charge;

 

  • FURTHER CONDEMN the high level of impunity for crimes perpetrated against journalists and other media practitioners in the various countries resulting in an increase in freedom of expression violations on the continent.

 

  • CALL on African governments to commit to upholding freedom of expression rights at all times as well as actively engaging in the co-sponsorship of safety of journalists or freedom of expression resolutions while actively ensuring the implementation of such resolutions by monitoring, reporting, and investigating crimes against journalists and punishing perpetrators.

 

  • REITERATE the importance of establishing coordinated multi-stakeholder national mechanisms to guarantee the safety of journalists and other media practitioners who remain the major victims of freedom of expression violations, at both national and regional levels.

 

  • EXPRESS CONCERN about the increasing use of network disruptions or internet shutdowns to stifle critical voices and public debates in general in various African countries, including Chad where social media platforms have been shut down since March 28, 2018. Other countries that have recently resorted to the use of network disruptions or Internet shutdowns include the DRC, Gabon, Sudan and Zimbabwe. There have also been increased reports of attacks against internet users such as journalists, activists, bloggers and individuals for their online activities in Somalia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Nigeria, among other countries.

 

  • FURTHER EXPRESS serious concern about the apparent forced disappearance of Gwanda Azory, a Tanzanian freelance journalist who has been reported missing since November 21, 2017 and the continued lack of information about his whereabouts.

 

  • COMMEND the government of Liberia for decriminalizing libel in the country amidst deteriorating state of freedom of expression and access to information rights on the continent and urge other governments across the continent to follow suit by putting in place urgent measures to decriminalise libel and defamation in their respective countries.

 

  • ALSO COMMEND the Parliament of Ghana for passing into law the Right to Information bill and call upon the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo to sign the bill into law speedily.  In this regard we also recognise the efforts of the African Union Special Rapporteur on the Revision of the Declaration on the Principles of Freedom of Expression in Africa as a commitment to uphold and promote freedom of expression on the continent;

 

  • DEMAND that Cameroon urgently adopts measures to end the massive crackdown on the fundamental human rights of journalists, political activists, civil society actors and the entire population of Cameroon living in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon since October 6, 2018, a day after presidential elections were held. We urge the government to ensure that the rights of citizens are upheld at all times;

 

  • DEMAND that the government of Mozambique immediately and unconditionally releases the detained journalist, Amade Abubacar, and allow him go about his journalistic duties freely and independently;

 

  • DEMAND that in fulfillment of its responsibilities under international law to protect persons within its territory, the government of Tanzania undertakes a full investigation into the disappearance of Azory and makes the report of its findings public.

 

  • URGE the respective institutions and organs of the African Union to strengthen the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to ensure that it has the necessary financial, human and technical resources to effectively promote and protect the rights guaranteed by the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights;

 

  • ALSO URGE journalists and other media professionals working across the continent to remain steadfast in the practice of journalism while ensuring professionalism at all times.

 

AFEX members welcomed three new members into the AFEX network. These are: ADISI-Cameroon, the Collaboration on International ICT Policy in Eastern and Southern Africa (CIPESA) in Uganda and the Gambia Press Union (GPU). This increases the membership of AFEX to 15 organisations.

Adopted in Berlin, Germany, this Sunday, the 7th day of April, 2019.

Click here to read more about the AFEX network and its member organisations.

AFEX Joins Global Calls for Unconditional Release of Detained Mozambican Journalist

Felicia Anthonio
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AFEX Joins Global Calls for Unconditional Release of Detained Mozambican Journalist

Member organisations of the African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) have joined several other prominent freedom of expression and press freedom advocacy organisations across the globe to call on authorities in Mozambique to unconditionally release Amade Abubacar, a journalist working with a with state-owned community radio station, Rádio e Televisao Comunitária Nacedje de Macomia (Community Radio and Television of Macomia).

AFEX’s monitoring shows that Abubacar was arrested on January 5, 2019 by security agents while he was photographing internally displaced people fleeing from terrorist attacks in the Cabo Delgado region located in northern Mozambique into Macomia. The Cabo Delgado region has faced invasions by unidentified groups since October 2017.

The joint statement was issued on April 11, 2019 to commemorate the National Journalists Day in Mozambique.

Kindly click here to read the full joint statement.

You can also join the campaign by calling on the authorities in Mozambique to release Amade Abubacar via Twitter:

President of Mozambique, Filipe Nyusi, @FNyusi and the Mozambican Parliament – Twitter @ParlamentoMoz

You can also tweet at the following leaders to intervene:

UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression – Twitter @DavidKaye; @UNHumanRights and @UN_SPExperts

Pope Francisco – Twitter @Pontifex

The hashtag is #FreeAmade

AU Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa Transmits Letter of Appeal to President of Chad on Social Media Blackout

Felicia Anthonio
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AU Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa Transmits Letter of Appeal to President of Chad on Social Media Blackout

The African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) welcomes the appeal to President Idriss Deby Itno off the Republic of Chad by the African Union Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression and access to information in Africa (the Special Rapporteur), Commissioner Lawrence Mute, regarding the on-going social media blackout in the Central African country.

The appeal of the Special Rapporteur, Commissioner Lawrence Mute was contained in a press release issued on March 22, 2019 by the Special Rapporteur, exactly ten days after the African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) on behalf of 80 prominent press freedom organisations working across the globe, petitioned him to intervene in the situation in Chad.

The petitioners urged Commissioner Mute as well as the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, Prof. David Kaye to call on President Idriss Deby of Chad to restore access to social media platforms including Facebook, WhatsApp, and Twitter which have been shut down in the country following orders from the government on March 28, 2018.

Several calls by local and international rights groups appealing to the government of Chad to restore these platforms have proven futile over the past months. The petitioners therefore called on the AU/UN special rapporteurs to intervene in the matter.

AFEX commends the move by the AU Special Rapporteur as the African Commission’s commitment to advancing freedom of expression rights of citizens both offline and online.

We appeal to The Special Rapporteur to pursue this case to its logical conclusion by ensuring that the government of Chad ends the ongoing blackout and uphold the freedom of expression and access to information rights of the people of Chad at all times.  

Governments Increasingly Penalising Critical Journalism in Africa

Felicia Anthonio
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Governments Increasingly Penalising Critical Journalism in Africa

The right to freedom of expression and access to information is enshrined in the national constitutions of several African countries who are also signatories to other regional and International frameworks such as the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civic and Political Rights.

However, a series of press freedom violations in five countries in Central, East and Southern Africa recorded since January 2019 appears to call into doubt governments’ commitment to upholding the above frameworks. Within the period under reference, four journalists have been arbitrarily arrested and detained, another journalist sentenced to a year in prison while one media house has been suspended for critical reportage about state officials.

In the latest incident recorded by the African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX), state security agents on March 21, 2019 arrested and detained Zenzele Ndebele, a civil society activist and freelance journalist at the central police station in Harare. Ndebele’s arrest followed the discovery of used teargas canisters after police searched his car when he arrived at the State House for a meeting between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and civil society organisations in Zimbabwe. Ndebele explained that he had picked up the canisters, which had been fired by the police, during the last public protest in January which he was filming.

However, the police dismissed his explanation and charged him with “possession of offensive weapons at public gatherings,” under Section 43 of Zimbabwe’s Criminal Law Code.

According to the Zimbabwe chapter of MISA, Ndebele’s home and office were also raided. Sautsani Ali, the cameraman of the activist was also briefly detained. Meanwhile Ndebele himself was freed and all charges dropped against him after appearing in court earlier today (March 22, 2019).

Still in Southern Africa, military officers on January 5, 2019 arrested Mozambican journalist, Amade Abubacar who works with state-owned community radio station, Rádio e Televisao Comunitária Nacedje de Macomia (Community Radio and Television of Macomia). The journalist was arrested by military officials while he was photographing internally displaced people fleeing from terrorist attacks in the Cabo Delgado region located in northern Mozambique into Macomia. The Cabo Delgado region has faced invasions by unidentified groups since October 2017.  

Abubacar appeared before court on January 18, 2019 and was denied bail. He has since been in detention without any charges brought against him. According to local media report, Abubacar has been subjected to inhumane treatment including torture and is being denied food while at the Cabo Delgado detention centre. .

Another journalist, from the same community radio station where Abubacar works, Germano Daniel Adriano was also arrested on February 18, 2019 by military personnel in the same region for covering similar attacks against residents of that part of the country.  According to a statement from AFEX member, Mozambique chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), both journalists have since been charged with “violation of state secrets using a computer” and “public instigation to crime using a computer”.

The arbitrary arrest and detention of journalists continued, this time in Sudan, where, on February 22, 2019, agents of the feared National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) arrested and detained incommunicado Osman Mirghani, editor-in-chief of the independent Sudanese newspaper, Al-Tayyar. Although no charges have been brought against Mirghani, the authorities have continued to detain him. The journalist’s ordeal is believed to be in connection with comments he made that seemed to support the ongoing anti-government protests in Sudan.

According to AFEX sources in Sudan, Mirghani’s health is deteriorating as he is unable to access adequate medical attention while in detention.

While his colleague’s in Mozambiaque and Sudan are languishing in detention without trial, Steeve Mwanyo Iwewe, a journalist who works with Radio-Television Sarah (RTS) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), was on March 1, 2019, sentenced to a year in prison after a ‘hasty’ trial by the Mbandaka Peace Tribunal. Iwewe, who was accused of “insulting” Bobo Boloko Bolumbu, the governor of the north-western province of Ecuador was also ordered to pay a fine of $200 to the complainant.

Iwewe was arrested on February 27, 2019 for defying the governor’s orders to stop covering a public protest in the province.   

“You came here to do your work, let me also do mine freely (…)”, the journalist reportedly told the governor in response to the latter’s orders, a remark the official felt to be insulting.

The governor’s order clearly amounted to censorship and a violation of Article 24 of the Congolese Constitution which guarantees press freedom. Iwewe’s incarceration betrays serious gaps in the Congolese criminal justice system.

Unlike the three cases reported above which involved journalists, the fifth violation which was recorded in Zambia targeted a critical media outlet. Again, unlike the earlier cases where security agents were the major perpetrators of the violations, this time the violator was the Independent Broadscasting Authority (IBA), the institution mandated to regulate and protect the media in Zambia. On March 4, 2019 the IBA ordered the suspension Prime Television for 30 days after it accused the station of exhibiting “unprofessionalism in its broadcasting.”

Prior to its suspension, Prime TV station was subjected to series of attacks including verbal and physical assaults from high ranking government officials following the station’s reportage of the recent parliamentary by-elections in Sesheke which was marred by violence.

The above incidents highlight the increasing intolerance of independent and critical journalism by some governments on the continent. The African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) is deeply concerned about the above incidents and condemns the increasing rate at which governments on the continent are quick to penalise journalists who are critical of their policies or practices.

We call on the states concerned to unconditionally release the journalists being held in their countries. We urge African governments generally to respect the right to freedom of expression and divergent opinion in line with their obligation under their national constitutions and other regional and international frameworks to which they are signatories.

AFEX appeals to security agencies to do their work independently and professionally by resisting illegal orders from the Executive to perpetrate violations against journalists and activists.

AFEX also urges the judiciary of the various countries to uphold press freedom and human rights by rejecting frivolous charges against journalists and dissidents.

AFEX Calls on Authorities in Sudan to Unconditionally Release Journalist Osman Mirghani

Felicia Anthonio
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AFEX Calls on Authorities in Sudan to Unconditionally Release Journalist Osman Mirghani

The African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) demands the release of Sudanese journalist, Osman Mirghani who has been in detention without charge for the past 26 days.

Agents of Sudan’s feared, National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) on February 22, 2019 arrested Mirghani who is the editor-in-chief of the independent Sudanese newspaper, Al-Tayyar.

According to AFEX sources in Sudan, the health of the journalist is deteriorating as he is unable to access adequate medical attention while in detention.

Although no charges have been brought against him, it is believed that his arrest is in connection with comments he made about the ongoing protests in the country. According to media reports, Mirghani was arrested shortly after he said in an interview that the current protests could result in Al-Bashir’s removal from office. The said comments were made during an interview he granted on the Abu Dhabi-based Sky News Arabia network in Abu Dhabi.

Mirghani was detained incommunicado until last week Wednesday, March 13, 2019 when his family was allowed to see him for the first time since his arrest. AFEX’s contact, who pleaded anonymity, indicated that Mirghani’s health and safety was at risk.

“Now we are concerned about his health and even his life because we are not certain about the conditions of the prison where he is being kept.”

It is alleged that Mirghani is being detained at a facility where political prisoners are usually held by the NISS.

This is the second time the journalist is being targeted for being critical of the government. On December 15, 2015, Mirghani was arrested and detained together with the editor of Al-Saiha newspaper after they criticised the Sudanese government in their publication.  

The incarceration of Osman Mirghani for exercising his constitutionally guaranteed right to free expression violates Article 39 of the 2005 Interim Constitution of Sudan as well as provisions of regional and international frameworks including Article 19 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR).

Mirghani’s case provides further evidence of the deteriorating freedom of expression situation in Sudan since protests broke out in December 2018 resulting in increased violations such as arbitrary arrest and detention of journalists and protesters, police brutalities against protesters including killing, Internet shutdown and confiscation of newspaper publications.  

AFEX joins the global community to condemn the arbitrary detention of Mirghani and call on the government to immediately and unconditionally release him. We also urge President Omar Al-Bashir to uphold the fundamental rights of the people of Sudan during the crisis and at all times.

80 Press Freedom Organisations across the Globe Call on AU/UN Special Rapporteurs to Intervene in Ongoing Social Media Blackout in Chad

Felicia Anthonio
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80 Press Freedom Organisations across the Globe Call on AU/UN Special Rapporteurs to Intervene in Ongoing Social Media Blackout in Chad

Eighty freedom of expression and media rights organisations across the world have called on the African Union (AU) Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information and the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression to intervene to end the long-running social media blackout in Chad.

In a petition signed on Tuesday March 12, 2019, the press freedom organisations said since March 28, 2018, mobile operators in Chad have, on the orders of the government, blocked access to social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp.

The petitioners alleged that the shutdown is aimed at quelling public protests across the country by undermining citizens’ capacity to mobilise through the power of the Internet and social media platforms, which is in breach of Chadians’ freedom of expression online and the right to access information.

The 80 signatories to the petition noted that the social media shutdown in Chad, which is now the longest network disruption in Africa, violates several resolutions including the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) Resolution, ACHPR Res. 362 (LIX) 2016 which condemns the “emerging practice of State Parties interrupting or limiting access to telecommunication services such as the internet, social media and messaging services.”

The petitioners lamented that  while the eleven month-old social media blackout has grounded the activities of students, schools and businesses that rely on the internet, the government of President Idriss Deby has refused to heed several calls to end the shutdown. 

“Repeated appeals by local, regional and international rights groups on the Idriss Deby-led administration to restore access to social media platforms have proved futile”, the petitioners said.

They therefore called on the African Union’s (AU) Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information, Lawrence Murugu Mute and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression, David Kaye to intervene to ensure that access to social media is restored in Chad.     

Kindly click on the hyperlinks to access the petitions addressed to the AU Special Rapporteur, Commissioner Mute and the UN Special Rapporteur, David Kaye respectively,

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