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AFEX Deplores Sentencing of Journalist in Somaliland, Demands His Immediate Release

Felicia Anthonio
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AFEX Deplores Sentencing of Journalist in Somaliland, Demands His Immediate Release

The African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) deplores the sentencing of journalist and social media activist, Abdimalik Muse Oldon by a court in Somalia’s self-declared state, Somaliland. The Marodi Jeh court based in Hargesia, Somaliland capital on July 8, 2019 handed down a three and a half years in prison to the journalist for defamation.

Lawyers for the journalist have slammed the verdict as an “injustice” and indicated that they will put in an appeal.

“Today is another black day for the freedom of the expression in Somaliland. Journalist Oldon has been sentenced to three and half years despite there is no single plaintiff in the case,” defending lawyer Jamal Hussein Ahmed said. “We shall of course react and appeal against this injustice.”

Local rights groups have condemned the judgement as unfair, adding that it is ‘ astate-organized campaign to influence the judges at the court against Journalist Oldon ” a local press freedom organization said in a statement issued on July 8, 2019.  

Oldon was arrested on April 17, 2019 following reports and comments he made on social media which were deemed to be critical of the government. 

This is the second time the journalist has been sentenced on defamation charges within the past two years. On April 8, 2017, a presiding judge, Ahmed Dalmar Ismail, found Oldon guilty of breaching articles 212 and 328 of penal code and sentenced him to two years in prison. He was accused of making comments against Somaliland president. Oldon was subsequently released in 2018 following a presidential pardon. He was however rearrested in April 2019 for his continued critical reporting about the Somaliland government.

AFEX vehemently condemn the jail sentence against Oldon. The sentence is a blatant abuse of power by authorities in the country. The constitution of Somaliland guarantees the fundamental right to expression and the government, just like any state has a responsibility to ensure that journalists and citizens exercise this fundamental right without interference or restrictions from any quarters. Government officials occupy public offices and they must therefore be receptive to more criticism.

The sentencing of the journalist also infringes on the landmark ruling by the African Court of Human and People’s Rights which overrules the imprisonment of journalists over defamation charges. AFEX therefore finds the conviction of Abdimalik Muse Oldon as a disproportionate interference in his fundamental right to free speech which is engraved in national and international frameworks.

We therefore call on the authorities to review the jail sentence and release the journalist to enable him continue his journalistic duties.

Boost to Freedom of Expression Rights in Africa as Progressive Laws, Court Rulings Define First Quarter of 2019

Felicia Anthonio
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Boost to Freedom of Expression Rights in Africa as Progressive Laws, Court Rulings Define First Quarter of 2019

The African Freedom of Expression Exchange’s (AFEX) monitoring of the Freedom of Expression (FOE) Situation in Africa during January-March 2019 recorded some positive developments including the adoption of progressive laws and court rulings upholding press freedom in some of the countries monitored.

The Liberian government on February 28, 2019 signed into law a bill to amend sections of the country’s constitution which penalised a range of speech offences including defamation and libel.

Similarly, the Ghana’s Parliament on March 26, 2019 finally passed into law the Right to Information Bill which had been before the House for ten years. The RTI law is expected to promote public’s access to information and the fight against corruption in the country.

In Tanzania, the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) on March 28, 2019 ruled that sections of country’s ‘s Media Services Act (2016) violates press freedom and freedom of expression rights of the Tanzanian people. The Court therefore urged the Tanzanian government to repeal all the repressive sections.

In another landmark ruling, this time in favour of Internet rights,  a High Court in Zimbabwe upheld a lawsuit filed by some local rights groups by ordered the government to restore the Internet. . The Court on January 21, 2019 ruled that the Minister for National Security, Owen Ncube had acted illegally by ordering the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the country to shut down the Internet during anti-government protests.

Aside the above, some redress actions were also recorded during the monitoring period.  Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari ordered the military to release Uthman Abubakar, the regional editor of the Daily Trust Newspaper who was arrested together with two other reporters. Similarly, Sudanese authorities also released journalist, Osman Mirghani on March 29, 2019 who was arrested on February 22, 2019 and detained without any charges. Mirghani’s arrest followed an interview he had granted about the anti-government protests in Sudan. 

The following day in a separate incident, Congolese authorities on March 30, 2019 released Steeve Mwanyo Iwewe who was sentenced to a year in prison and later to six months after appeal. Mwanyo was jailed for “insulting” a governor.

AFEX commends the various governments for taking steps to promote freedom of expression and access to information rights of journalists and citizens on the African continent. We urge more governments to fully engage in advancing these rights by adopting  progressive measures. We also urge the courts and judiciary in the various countries to actively engage in upholding press freedom at all times.   

A total of 77 violations were recorded in 21 countries with security agents being responsible for 40 of the said violations. Nigeria also recorded the highest number of violations (15).

Kindly click here to access the FOE Situation in Africa Report – January – March 2019 by AFEX. 

 

Needless Network Disruptions: A Continuing Menace to Online Rights in Africa

Felicia Anthonio
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Needless Network Disruptions: A Continuing Menace to Online Rights in Africa

In what constitutes a serious violation of the digital rights of their citizens, governments in Africa are increasingly disrupting the Internet and social media platforms with impunity. Within a space of two weeks, June 3-19, 2019 the governments of five African countries have shut down the Internet or social media platforms for various frivolous reasons.

Demonstrations and Internet Shutdowns

Over the years, several governments on the continent have sought to quell sporadic unrests by shutting down or disrupting the Internet and social media platforms under the pretext of protecting ‘national security’ and ‘public order.’ Despite the proven dire implications of such shutdowns on the social, economic and human rights of citizens, it remains a favourite tool of repression by an increasing number of African governments[1] that appear to have an incurable obsession with the measure. Countries like Cameroon, Chad, Ethiopia, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Togo and most recently Liberia, among others, have all disrupted the Internet in an attempt to suppress public protests.   

The military junta in Sudan which took over office after the ousting of long serving President Omar Al-Bashir, on June 3, 2019 ordered a complete Internet shutdown in the country amidst violent crackdown on protesters. The decision of the military junta to shut down the Internet is an attempt to cover up the atrocities committed against the people of Sudan from the rest of the world. On June 10, 2019 the TMC admitted it had shut down the Internet in Sudan, adding that “the Internet will not return soon because it threatens national security.”

Already, the media has reported that, officials of the country’s paramilitary, Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been accused of killing 100  individuals with as many as 700 reportedly injured during the June 3 crackdown on protesters. 

Protesters gather on the Capitol Hill during “Save the State” protest in Monrovia

While the people of Sudan continue to wallow in complete digital darkness, the authorities in Liberia also made it to the list of African governments that have resorted to  Internet shutdowns and network disruptions in an attempt to quell anti-government protests. On June 7, 2019 the Weah-led administration ordered Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the country to shut down social media platforms a massive demonstration rocked the capital. . However, the futility of this measure was clear when thousands of Liberians turned out on the Capitol Hill, the seat of government, to participate in the protest dubbed “Save the State.” The protesters were demonstrating against alleged government misuse of national funds and what they described as “creeping dictatorship in their country.”

Examination Malpractices and Internet Shutdowns

Governments in Africa continue to come up with a myriad of reasons to shut down the Internet or social media platforms. Increasingly, examination malpractices have been cited as a justifiable reason by a number of governments as the pretext for interfering with the Internet rights of their citizens. to shut down the Internet on the continent.

Ethiopia’s government on June 11, 2019 cut off the Internet and SMS services. Although the government did not give any explanation for the shutdown, it was reported by local media that the shutdown was linked to ongoing examinations in the country. The Internet was restored on June 14, 2019 after four days of public condemnation.

The use of Internet shutdowns or social media blackout to supposedly curb examination malpractices was first heard of in Ethiopia in 2016 when the government shut down the Internet to ostensibly to prevent circulation of leaked exam questions. Specifically,  on July 11, 2016, the government blocked access to the Internet and social media platforms. The government said the disruption to ‘help students concentrate’ on key university entrance exams scheduled to be taken on July 13. The Internet was restored a day after while social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Viber and WhatsApp remained blocked till after the exams on July 13.

Again, the government of Mauritania on June 10, 2019 disrupted the Internet ten hours daily for four consecutive days during the country’s national exams. The Minister of National Education who confirmed the shutdown indicated it was a measure by the government to “monitor the examinations.”

The shutdown followed a similar one on May 27, 2019 when the government shut down the Internet for four days over reasons of examination malpractice. This measure of completely shutting down Internet by the government was first adopted during the 2018 examinations.

As if to replicate what happened in Ethiopia and Mauritania, Somaliland, has become  the latest country to block the Internet and social media during exams. The authorities in the break-away Republic  on June 19, 2019 disconnected access to social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Viber. The Minister of Telecommunications and Technology, Abdiweli Sheikh Ibrahim said the disruption is a “temporary measure which will run for hours when the students are sitting for the exam papers.”

The move which was announced by the government of Somali’s self-declared state ahead of high school exams aimed at “preventing exam irregularities, the spread of fake papers and false rumours” local media halbeeg.com reported on Tuesday.

ISPs and Internet Shutdowns

The African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) has monitored with dismay how Internet Service Providers (ISPs) easily kowtow to government orders, often without any legal basis, to shut down the Internet.. In the above mentioned incidents, the governments in the respective countries sent direct orders to Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to switch off Internet connection or disrupt social media networks. Sadly, all the ISPs in the respective countries complied with the governments’ orders without insisting on due process. . As a result, they have become complicit in the flagrant violation of the rights of their clients.

While AFEX recognizes that ISPs are careful to avoid any conflict with the political administrations in the various countries, we will like to remind them of their duty to prioritise the protection of the rights of their clientele.

AFEX therefore urges ISPs working on the continent to resist illegal shutdown orders and, when necessary, seek judicial intervention.

Conclusion

The disruption of the Internet by African governments contravenes national laws as well as international frameworks which guarantee the freedom of expression and access to information rights of citizens. AFEX will also like to reiterate that Internet shutdowns and social media blackouts have a far-reaching effect on the social, economic, political life and livelihood of millions of people. African governments must therefore desist from disrupting the Internet and social media platforms.

[1] Don’t Hit the Switch: Making the Case Against Network Disruption in Africa

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.  

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