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Stakeholders Call for a Coordination Mechanism on Safety of Journalists in Africa

Felicia Anthonio
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Stakeholders Call for a Coordination Mechanism on Safety of Journalists in Africa

Representatives from Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Africa, including the African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX), and government institutions have agreed to establish a coordination mechanism at the continental, regional and national level to promote safety of journalists across Africa.

Participants also called on the African Union(AU), UNESCO and leading organisations promoting safety of journalists to expeditiously adopt robust and consultative processes to formalise the establishment and coordination of safety of journalists mechanisms in Africa.

Kindly read the full statement below or click here to download.

 

                                                                                                       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A COORDINATION MECHANISM FOR SAFETY OF JOURNALISTS IN AFRICA

Interregional Forum on Strengthening National Monitoring and Reporting

Mechanisms for the Safety of Journalists in Africa in the realisation of Agenda

2063 Aspiration 3 and Agenda 2030 SDG 16.10.1

27 NOVEMBER 2018

Participants at the Interregional Forum held at the ECA in Addis Ababa on November 26-27, 2018 under the theme “Strengthening National Monitoring and Reporting Mechanisms for the Safety of Journalists in Africa in the realisation of Agenda 2063 Aspiration 3 and Agenda 2030 SDG 16.10.1” have agreed to a establish coordination mechanism at the Continental, Sub regional and National Level as follows:-

At the Continental Level:

Call on the African Union (AU) and UNESCO to work together, in collaboration with other interested stakeholders, to develop the AU Working Group on Safety of Journalists into an operational, multi-stakeholder framework for a robust Coordination Mechanism that brings together the relevant public sector actors and other media stakeholders in Africa. To this end, the participants call on UNESCO and AU to move expeditiously to:

 

  1. Establish a representative technical working group to develop a draft blueprint for the Coordination Mechanism to be housed at the AU.

 

  1. Conduct broad consultations, including in the five regions of Africa, with relevant stakeholders with a view to ensuring that all views are taken into account and that the Coordination Mechanism secures the buy-in of AU Member States.

 

  1. Take the necessary steps to formalise and establish the Coordination Mechanism.

 

 

At the Sub-regional Level:

 

Call on the Regional Economic  Communities (RECs), UNESCO and lead organisations on safety of journalists to affirm and continue to develop, and where needed to establish, sub-regional mechanisms on safety of journalists which are multi-stakeholder in nature and which have a broad remit to take operational actions to support safety. To this end, participants call Economic Communities (RECs), UNESCO and lead organisations on safety of journalists to:

  1. Make reference to the Addis Resolution adopted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 15 November 2017.

 

  1. Put in place a robust, consultative process to formalise the establishment of a safety in mechanism in each sub-region.

 

  1. Work with the national safety mechanisms that exist in the respective sub-regions, including through the focal points, to coordinate activities in support of journalists’ safety.

 

  1. Provide support to national safety mechanisms, including by supporting the establishment of such mechanisms in countries where they do not yet exist.

 

At the National Level:

 

Call on each AU Member State, in consultation with interested stakeholders, to establish effective, multi-stakeholder national mechanisms for the safety of journalists, taking into account their different country contexts. When forming these national mechanisms, consideration should be given to engaging the following actors: all three arms of government including security actors and other administration of justice actors, civil society actors working in this area, representative bodies of journalists, media workers and media outlets, lawyers’ associations, human rights defenders, journalism training and research institutions, media regulatory bodies, NGOs, INGOs, relevant inter-governmental organisations, including United Nations agencies, and other representatives of the international community

Police in Uganda Arrests Journalists, Shuts Down Radio Station

Felicia Anthonio
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Police in Uganda Arrests Journalists, Shuts Down Radio Station

This statement was originally published on www.hrnjuganda.org on November 21, 2018.

Unity FM radio based in Lira remains shut down since 17th November, 2018 when the Lira District Police Commander (DPC) Joel Tubanone stormed the Radio station with heavily armed police personnel and military officers, switched off the radio and picked six staff on allegations of inciting violence.

On 17th November 2018, at around 3:20 P.M, police arrested six (6) Unity FM journalists and two other clients who were found at the station for business. The arrest was allegedly on the orders of the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Milton Odong for allegedly inciting the violence.

Those arrested include; Charles Odongo -technical director, Keneth Opio-Assistant station manager, Felix Ogwang-presenter, Moses Alwala-news reporter, Micheal Ogwal-news anchor, Aron Ebwola-producer and Okello Emmanuel Zumulamai and Junior Engola both clients who had brought business announcements to the radio.

The six Unity FM staff were however released on Monday 19th November 2018, but re-arrested the following day at Lira Central Police Station where they had reported to renew their bond.

DPC Tubanone confirmed the re-arrest when contacted by Human Rights Network for received a call from the State Attorney yesterday that their file was ready. So when the suspects reported, we rearrested them but we are taking them to court anytime now,” said Tubanone.

The Director of Unity FM, Uhuru Jimmy confirmed to HRNJ-Uganda that the DPC Joel Tubanone, RDC Odong Milton and the District Internal Security Officer a one Gilbert, stormed his radio station and arrested six journalists alongside two clients who were at the station. He described the attack on the station as political persecution stemming from the radio consistently holding different district leaders to account to the local community on service delivery as a result of funds received from the government.

The Unity FM Station Manager, Sam Atul told HRNJ-Uganda that the other two staff members Akena Rolex and Otto Bill who were held up inside the station without any justifiable reason for four days were released on the evening of Tuesday 20th November 2018 without any charges preferred against them.

Efforts to get a comment from the RDC were futile as he was engaged in a meeting. The journalists have since been released again and ordered to report to the police daily at 10am local time.

The arrest and subsequent shutting down of Unity FM was as a result of the radio relaying live events of the burial ceremony of Dickens Okello, an eleven year old pupil of Alito Primary School in Lira District. It is alleged that Okello was killed by two Asian nationals on 9th Nov, 2018 on his way back home. The local people were not satisfied with the manner in which the police in Lira had handled the matter, hence prompting them to riot.

“The locking up of the two staff members inside the station was an illegal detention which must be challenged in court. The radio station should be re-opened to allow for negotiations in a bid to build peace and flourishing business relationship with the locals. We hope that this matter is handled cautiously to avoid inflaming the peace in the area.” Said the HRNJ-Uganda Executive Director, Robert Ssempala

AFEX Calls on African Governments to Promote Safety of Journalists, Combat Impunity

Felicia Anthonio
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AFEX Calls on African Governments to Promote Safety of Journalists, Combat Impunity

Resolution

At the end of the Sixth General Meeting of the African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) held in Accra, Ghana, on November 7 and 8, 2018.

The Sixth 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 International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX), was held in Accra, Ghana, on Wednesday, November 7 and Thursday, November 8, 2018.

The meeting, hosted by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), and presided, over by AFEX Steering Committee Chairperson, Mr. Edetaen Ojo, who is the Executive Director of Media Rights Agenda (MRA), was attended by representatives of all AFEX member organisations from West, East, Central and Southern Africa. The meeting was also attended by two representatives from ARTICLE 19 Brazil and ARTICLE 19 Mexico as well as journalists from Ghana.

The meeting discussed institutional issues concerning AFEX as well as the current state of freedom of expression in Africa and strategies for addressing the threats to freedom of expression and media freedom on the continent, particularly, the issues of the safety of journalists and how to confront the challenge of impunity for crimes against journalists. Participants resolved to develop a plan of action on the safety of journalists in Africa which will guide advocacy interventions by members of the AFEX Network and other press freedom organisations.  

At the end of the meeting, members of the Network unanimously adopted this Resolution:

  • We are deeply concerned about the growing wave of attacks against journalists and the media in general across the African continent, especially during elections. We are further disturbed by the widespread increase in the level of insecurity in journalism practice, arising from the unchecked acts of violence against media professionals and media organizations.

 

  • We believe that the failure of African governments to live up to their responsibility of protecting journalists as well as other members of the public is exacerbating this problem with numerous cases of unresolved killings of journalists and other crimes against journalists that have not been properly investigated in many countries, including Somalia, South Sudan, Nigeria, Uganda, and Cameroon.

 

  • Given the well-established norm that the ability of citizens to freely exercise their right to freedom of expression underpins democratic practice in any country, we are of the view that the deteriorating state of freedom of expression on the African continent is a clear signal of the decline in the quality of democracy in Africa.

 

  • We find it ironic and contradictory that although African Union (AU) leaders have launched 2018 as the African Anti-Corruption Year, its members are actively hounding the media and media professionals in many countries for reporting and exposing official corruption.

 

  • We call on African countries to establish multi-stakeholder national mechanisms, ideally backed by Law, to promote the safety of journalists and other actors who are often targeted for exercising their right to freedom of expression and through which a range of activities in this regard can be coordinated and implemented. Such activities could potentially include the reform of media laws, the monitoring of threats and attacks to freedom of expression, as well as the training of members of different stakeholder groups such as the military, law enforcement, security and intelligence agencies; legislators, and member of the Judiciary. The mechanism could also serve as an avenue for the provision of  protection for persons at risk and for responding to the problem of impunity.

 

  • We are equally concerned about the increasing attacks on digital rights and Internet freedoms by governments and their intelligence services in some parts of Africa, including in countries like Uganda and Zambia, where social media taxes have recently been introduced, as well as in other countries like Cameroon, Ethiopia, Mali, Burundi, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo and Togo, where the Internet or social media services have been shut down from time to time.

 

  • We are convinced that such acts only serve to worsen the digital divide which has already seen Africa lagging behind other regions of the world in the availability, affordability and use of the Internet and digital tools. Besides, they subvert the creativity and resourcefulness of African youths who are thereby deprived of opportunities to innovate in the digital age while undermining the potential of African countries to achieve economic, social and political development.

 

  • We note that most countries in Africa continue to use criminal law to undermine the right to freedom of expression and to punish journalistic activities and other forms of expressions, including non-verbal expression. It is our view that in most of these circumstances, such laws serve no useful purpose other than to suppress criticism of public officials and official wrongdoing, reporting that exposes corruption or in some cases, to prevent the publication of politically embarrassing materials. There are also numerous examples on the continent where such laws have been used to prevent public scrutiny of political authorities, public institutions, and senior government officials, among others.

 

  • We, therefore, call on all countries in Africa to undertake a comprehensive reform of their media laws to decriminalize media practice, promote and create a conducive and enabling legal environment for freedom of expression in the respective countries, consistent with international standards.

 

  • We also call on media professionals and media professional bodies in Africa to take urgent steps to check and counteract the spread of “fake news” which is now regarded as one of the greatest threats to democracy around the world. While we acknowledge that the deliberate falsification of information and the dissemination of such information is not necessarily the handiwork of professional journalists, we are nonetheless convinced that professional journalists have a major role to play in checking this phenomenon by providing the public with accurate and reliable information and constantly establishing through their reporting the falsity or unreliability of fake news.    

 

Members re-elected Mr. Edetaen Ojo, Executive Director of Media Rights Agenda in Nigeria, to serve as Chair of the AFEX Steering Committee for a further period of two years. They also elected to the Steering Committee Ms. Rea Simigiannis, Acting Executive Director of Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) in South Africa; Mr. Moses Magoola, Programmes Manager at the Human Rights Network for Journalists (HRNJ-U) in Uganda; and Mr. Sulemana Braimah, Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) in Ghana.

Adopted in Accra, Ghana, this Thursday, the 8th day of November, 2018.

Killing of Journalists and Protesters in Guinea and Somalia in Third Quarter of 2018 Remain Unaddressed

Felicia Anthonio
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Killing of Journalists and Protesters in Guinea and Somalia in Third Quarter of 2018 Remain Unaddressed

The African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) is deeply concerned about the continuing impunity in Guinea and Somalia where the police and other judicial bodies have failed to investigate the killing of two protesters and two journalists, respectively, and bring the perpetrators to book.

In a government crackdown on demonstrations in the country, Guinean state security agents on September 5, shot and killed two young men aged 17 and 25 in two separate incidents during clashes with angry protesters who decried the acute shortage in water and power supply in the towns of Boke and Kamsar. Security agents opened live bullets at the protesters resulting in the death of two persons.

Sadly, two journalists were also killed in Somalia within a period of less than a month. On July 26, 2018, a policeman at a checkpoint in Mogadishu’s Hamar Jajab district shot a journalist working with SBS TV, Abdirizak Kasim. The journalist died at the Madina hospital where he was rushed to after the attack. The policeman behind the attack escaped the scene after the murder and has still not been punished.

Similarly, unknown assailants on September 18, 2018, brutally stabbed Abdirisak Said Osman, a reporter and photographer with privately owned radio station, Codka Nabada. Osman who was severely injured died the following day (September 19) at a hospital where he was receiving treatment.

These incidents were part of a total of 52 violations recorded during AFEX’s monitoring of the freedom of expression situation in 18 countries in Africa from July to September 2018.

The AFEX Freedom of Expression Situation in Africa Report noted a high increase in impunity for crimes against journalists and protesters. One out of a total of 52 violations received redress during the monitoring period, thereby highlighting the increasing threat of impunity on the continent.  

You can access the AFEX FOE Situation in Africa Report – July to September 2018 to read more about the countries, types of violations, perpetrators and victims of the violations recorded in during the monitoring period by clicking here.

 

MISA Zimbabwe Concerned about Increased Attacks on Journalists, Calls on Government to End to Impunity for Crimes against Journalists

Felicia Anthonio
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MISA Zimbabwe Concerned about Increased Attacks on Journalists, Calls on Government to End to Impunity for Crimes against Journalists

MISA Zimbabwe Concerned about Increased Attacks on Journalists, Calls on Government to End to Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists

As the world commemorates the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists on 2 November, MISA Zimbabwe is greatly concerned with the upsurge in the number of cases involving media freedom violations in Zimbabwe.

Crimes against journalists spiked during the pre-election and post-election period while a total of 36 violations have been recorded to date since the beginning of the year. It is regrettable that State organs were the perpetrators of the majority of the violations recorded by MISA Zimbabwe.

Some of these crimes were of a grave nature and involved the injury of journalists as witnessed when some journalists were assaulted while covering demonstrations that broke out in Harare on 1 August 2018.

To date, there have been no arrests of the perpetrators of these acts of violence.

Zimbabwe may not have recorded the killing of any journalists, but impunity for crimes against journalists still goes beyond murders and assassinations. Impunity is evident even for crimes such as torture, arbitrary detention, harassment, and intimidation of journalists.

Journalists face retribution for their work that sometimes uncovers public scandals, acts of corruption and general misgovernance. A recent example of the dangers journalists live with is the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khasshogi in October this year at the Saudi Arabian Consulate in Turkey.

It is believed that Khasshogi was assassinated for his criticism of the Saudi government. Unfortunately, his death is not an isolated incident as the United Nations estimates that globally, 88 journalists were killed for their work between January and October 2018.

While some of the violations or crimes against journalists, may appear to be minor infractions, they are nonetheless still crimes and for that reason, must be investigated, and where appropriate, prosecuted accordingly.

The State has a constitutional duty to promote and protect fundamental rights enshrined in Zimbabwe’s Constitution. These rights include the right to access information, the right to free expression and media freedoms in general.

The State through its various arms and agencies also has a responsibility to investigate allegations of crimes against journalists and to ensure that such crimes are duly prosecuted.

The Zimbabwean government cannot fulfil its commitment to uphold media freedoms when some sections of the same government continue perpetrating crimes against journalists. This inability to hold perpetrators of crimes against journalists is what leads to impunity with crimes against journalists largely going unpunished.

Recommendations on ending impunity

To end this impunity, the United Nations has put in place a Plan of action for the safety of journalists. This plan of action contains three fundamental principles that can be summarised as the Three Ps.

The first ‘P’ refers to Policies of protection that governments must put in place to promote journalist’ safety. Such policies come in different forms and may include government statements condemning crimes against journalists and government policy frameworks that put measures that promote the safety of journalists.

The second ‘P’ refers to the Protection of journalists in moments of immediate crisis. These are usually premeditated mechanisms to assist journalists during states of emergency. Such interventions can be sponsored by either the State or civil organisations. For example, MISA Zimbabwe has a mobile phone Applications such as the JournoSOS App and the Media Defence Fund to provide emergency assistance to distressed journalists.

Lastly, there should be Procurement of justice, which simply means that alleged crimes against journalists are investigated and prosecuted as seriously as any other crimes. The United Nations strongly believes that the implementation of these three fundamental principles will greatly reduce impunity for crimes against journalists.

//END

International Day to End Impunity – MFWA Demands Justice for Four Murdered Journalists

Felicia Anthonio
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International Day to End Impunity – MFWA Demands Justice for Four Murdered Journalists

The United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution A/RES/68/163  in 2013 to proclaim November 2 each year as the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists (IDEI).

The day, which honours the memory of two French journalists, Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon, who were killed by terrorists in Northern Mali on November 2, 2013, has since been observed worldwide to highlight and condemn all attacks and violence against journalists and media workers. The celebration provides a global platform for appeals to governments of Member States of the UN to do their utmost to prevent violence against journalists and to bring to justice perpetrators of crimes against journalists and media workers.

As the world prepares to mark the day, the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), as part of the build-up to the celebration, will be highlighting a series of critical issues that undermine the safety of journalists in the region.

The first in the series is the infograph below which spotlights four unresolved killings of journalists which occurred in Nigeria from April 2017 to November 2017.

Regrettably, all the four incidents recorded in Nigeria have received no form of redress.

The MFWA is, therefore, urging the government of Nigeria to expedite investigations into these killings and ensure justice for the victims’ families.

Say “No” to Impunity.

AFEX Condemns Gruesome Murder of Jamal Khashoggi, Calls on the UN to take Decisive Action against Saudi Arabia

Felicia Anthonio
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AFEX Condemns Gruesome Murder of Jamal Khashoggi, Calls on the UN to take Decisive Action against Saudi Arabia

Accra, Ghana, Monday, October 29, 2018:  The African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX), a network of prominent media and freedom of expression organisations across the continent, today condemned the October 2, 2018 gruesome murder of renowned Saudi journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, saying a country that indulges in such barbaric behaviour ought to be ostracized by the civilized world.

In a statement issued from its Secretariat in Accra, AFEX called on the United Nations to demonstrate its commitment to the safety of journalists and ending impunity for crimes against journalists by taking decisive action against Saudi Arabia which, “despite the overwhelming evidence of official complicity in the murder of the journalist, has engaged in bare-faced denials, duplicity, peddling falsehoods and then grudging admission laced with half-truths.”

Chair of AFEX Steering Committee, Mr. Edetaen Ojo, said: “There can be no acceptable excuse or justification for the failure of the United Nations to take action against Saudi Arabia for this heinous state-sponsored crime against a journalist at a time when the international community, led by the UN, is trying to implement a series of measures to address the problem of crimes against journalists and end impunity for such crimes. A failure by the UN to sanction one of its members whose agents were responsible for this gruesome murder would rightly raise serious questions about its commitment to the safety of journalists and ending impunity for crimes against them.”

According to Mr. Ojo, “Given the evident use of Saudi Government resources to facilitate the brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi and the involvement of multiple Saudi officials in the crime, including the initial efforts to cover it up, we have no faith any investigation conducted by Saudi Arabia or its ability to bring all those responsible to justice. Its continued refusal to disclose the whereabouts of the journalist’s remains is evidence that the country is still unwilling to come clean and make a full disclosure.”

He therefore called on the UN to launch an independent international investigation into the murder to establish the extent of involvement of various officials within the Saudi government, including who issued the order for the killing of the journalist and all those who played a role in the incident.

Mr. Ojo stressed that It is only by so doing that the UN can convince the world that it is truly serious in its efforts, as outlined in various resolutions and plans on the subject adopted since 2012 by its organs and agencies such as the General Assembly, the Human Rights Council and UNESCO, aimed at ensuring the safety of journalists and ending impunity for crimes against journalists. To do nothing would be to give a stamp of approval to impunity!

AFEX said it was seriously concerned about the lack of outrage coming from African governments over the incident, which gives the impression that African leaders are unconcerned about the act of barbarism that has shocked decent people and governments around the world.

It noted that with the exception of South Africa, which has expressed “concern” over the “disappearance” of the Saudi journalist, no other African government has commented on or condemned the action, while the South Africa itself continues to conduct business with the Gulf state despite allegations that government officials were involved in Khashoggi’s murder.

AFEX observed that African cultures and traditions are founded on the values of truth, fairness and justice, as a result of which it is difficult to understand the basis of the silence of African leaders in this matter.

According to the AFEX network, besides the requirements of international norms and standards, even under African cultures and traditions, no society would condone the kind of behaviour that Saudi Arabia has exhibited.  All across the continent, the unlawful and unjustifiable killing of an individual such as in the case of Khashoggi would be considered a taboo or repugnant conduct and visited with drastic punishment.

The Network therefore called on African leaders to have the moral courage to stand for fairness and justice and, accordingly, join the rest of the international community in unequivocally condemning the abhorrent action of Saudi Arabia.

For further information, please contact:

Ms Felicia Anthonio

Coordinator, Africa Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX)

Accra, Ghana

Tel: +233 302 2424 70
Fax: +233 302 221084

E-mail:  [email protected]

website: www.africafex.org

Facebook: African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX)

Twitter: @AFEXafrica

Note to Editors

AFEX is currently made up of 12 media rights and freedom of expression organisations across West, East, Central and Southern regions of Africa, namely:

Police confiscate journalist’s press card

Felicia Anthonio
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Police confiscate journalist’s press card

This statement was originally published on zimbabwe.misa.org on October 17, 2018.

Police in Masvingo on 17 October 2018 threatened Godfrey Mutimba a journalist who writes for The Worker, a print publication run by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions.

According to Mutimba, the police were arresting illegal currency dealers operating around the vicinity of the main Post Office in the southern city of Masvingo. Trouble started when one of the police officers realised that Mutimba was recording the arrests on video.

The police officer accosted Mutimba on why he was filming the arrests. Mutimba produced his press accreditation card and explained he was carrying out his journalistic duties.

The same officer confiscated Mutimba’s press card and told the journalist that if he wanted his card he would have to go to Masvingo Central Police station where the police would verify Mutimba’s media credentials.

MISA Zimbabwe is currently assisting Mutimba to recover his press card.

MISA Zimbabwe Position MISA Zimbabwe condemns the confiscation of Mutimba’s press card. The police have no right to confiscate journalist’s press cards which are duly and constitutionally issued by the Zimbabwe Media Commission. Such actions amount to an abuse of office that should not be tolerated.

MISA Zimbabwe also reminds media practitioners to employ the profession’s safety and security measures while covering hostile situations. Media practitioners are advised to also utilise the MISA JournoSOS App as well as the MISA Panic Button App in the event of any violations. MISA Zimbabwe staff is also on standby to assist media practitioners injured or arrested in the line of duty. The MISA Hotline is 0784 437 338.

//END

AFEX Denounces Killing of Student by Zambian Police

Felicia Anthonio
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AFEX Denounces Killing of Student by Zambian Police

The African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) condemns the acts of brutality against student demonstrators by Zambian police which has resulted in the killing of a 4th year student at the University of Zambia on October 5, 2018.

According to local media reports, police allegedly fired teargas canisters into students’ hostels during demonstrations over unpaid students’ allowances.

Vespers Shimuzhila, a female student who was stuck in her room, at October Hostel died on from suffocation as she was unable to escape the smoke. Vespers who was  also asthmatic died at the Levy Mwanawasa Teaching Hospital where she was rushed for treatment.

Meanwhile, thousands of students of the University of Zambia on Monday, October 8, 2018 held a peaceful demonstration in hononour of their late colleague Vespers Shimuzhila. The students, who were dressed in black, sang solemn songs and held placards denouncing police brutality against students in videos and images seen on social media.

Several local, regional and human rights organisations have since condemned the police’s actions and are demanding justice for Vespers.

AFEX wished to add its voice to the call on the government of Zambia to ensure justice for the family of Vespers. We express our heartfelt condolences to the family, Vespers has left behind. It is unfortunate that the life of a young woman had to end in such an abrupt manner due to police brutalities against students exercising their legitimate right to freedom of assembly which is enshrined in the Constitution of Zambia as well as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Right (ICCPR).

We call on the police hierarchy to investigate into the issue and bring the perpetrators to book. AFEX also urges students of the UNZA to exercise restraint during demonstrations.

AFEX Bemoans Recent Attacks on Journalists in Somalia

Felicia Anthonio
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AFEX Bemoans Recent Attacks on Journalists in Somalia

The African Freedom for Expression Exchange (AFEX) is deeply concerned about the recent spate of freedom of expression (FOE) violations in Somalia.

Within the past one week, (September 18-23, 2018) at least three serious incidents have been reported including the killing of Abdirisak Said Osman, a journalist who used to work with Radio Codka Nabada (Voice of Peace).

According to Human Rights Journalists (HRJ), a local human rights organisation in Somalia, unknown assailants on September 18, 2018 stabbed Osman in the back and on the chest with daggers. The journalist was on his way home when the incident happened around 23:00. Osman died the following day (September 19) at the Galkaio hospital where he was rushed to by some passersby. The reason behind Osman’s attack is unknown and the police are yet to arrest the perpetrators of this gruesome act.

This is the second journalist to be killed in Somalia this year. Barely two months ago, a young journalist, Abdirisak Qasim was shot dead by a policeman at a security checkpoint in Mogadishu. Qasim was working with SBS TV before his untimely death. The incident which occurred on July 26, has received no redress and the culprit continues to enjoy impunity.

Again, security officials arbitrarily arrested a TV journalist with Universal TV, Mohamed Abdiwali Tohow on September 22 in Dhusomareb town, capital city of Galmudug State. Tohow was invited to the headquarters of the Galmudug Intelligence and Security Agency via a phone call and detained upon arrival without any explanation.

As if these barbaric acts by security agents against journalists were not serious enough, a police officer hurled stones at a group of journalists who had been invited by the deputy commander of Galkaio Police Department of Puntland, Mohamed Ali, for a press conference. While some of the victims came out with minor bruises, one of them, Mohamed Ali Siyad, who is the director of Radio Gaalkacyo, was severely injured in the unprovoked attack.

Siyad was immediately taken to hospital to seek medical attention.  AFEX is disappointed in the leadership of the security agencies in Somalia for blatantly ignoring these attacks perpetrated against journalists by their officers.. It is sad to note that even in instances where the perpetrators were clearly identified, the police did nothing to ensure justice for the attacked journalists.

AFEX calls upon the authorities of the various security agencies in the country to, as a matter of urgency, revisit these incidents and ensure that the violators are severely punished. Impunity for crimes against journalists will only embolden the attackers to carry out more attacks, which will be dangerous for Somalia’s FOE environment.

The African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) joins HRJ to condemn these acts of barbarism against press freedom and FOE rights in Somalia and call on the police to bring the culprits to book.

Six Months of Obscurity: Chadians Digitally Cut-Off

Felicia Anthonio
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Six Months of Obscurity: Chadians Digitally Cut-Off

On March 28, 2018, the government of Chad shut down social media platforms such Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp without any explanation. It’s been six months (September 2, 2018) and the people of Chad continue to live in suspense, not knowing when access to these platforms will be restored. The African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) as part of its digital rights and Internet freedom advocacy shares with you Salim Azim Assani’s perspective on how the shutdown is affecting lives in the country. Assani is a member of RFI’s platform of French bloggers, Mondoblog and a major actor in Chad’s digital space. Below is an overview of incidents of network disruptions recorded in Chad over the past two years:  

Chadian internet users (netizens) continue to face censorship

If Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp were classrooms where users were students, Chadians would certainly be among the worst students, September 2, 2018 marking exactly six months of absence. This situation arises out of censorship for which nobody (neither the government nor the internet providers) would take responsibility. Meanwhile, Chad remains inexplicably cut off these social networks.  

First of all, far from being a widely used tool, Internet access is a luxury in Chad. Only 5% of Chadians have access to the Internet with a quality that leaves much to be desired despite the fact that the two main providers, Tigo and Airtel, have switched to 4G technology. It is clear that the authorities are aware of the wide gap between Chad and the digital world, for which reason large-scale projects have been planned. These include, the creation of an African Center for Information Technologies (CATI), the construction of a three-way fibre optic interconnection linking Cameroon and Sudan as well as the Trans-Sahara – Algeria through Niger. Unfortunately, in contradiction with all these great ambitions, some unknown hands are censoring the internet, making the most popular social media platforms among Chadians inaccessible.

Network disruption in Chad following demonstrations against the dissemination of a video of a rape victim

On February 18, 2016, access to electronic message services such as Gmail, Yahoo and Ooutlook.com were disconnected, following wide circulation of the video of   sexual assault of Zouhoura, a young high school student. The circulation, which was initiated by the attackers, drew widespread protests across the country. The head of state for the first time, took to social media to condemn the barbaric incident. Unfortunately, access to social media platforms were cut a day after his intervention. Nevertheless, it must be noted that before the censorship related to the Zouhoura demonstrations occurred, some information networks were already targeted. Makaïla’s blog as well as online newspapers like Tchadinfos and Tchadactuel had been censored even if they were reinstated later.    

Internet censorship during elections, an African ritual

From 9 to 11 April 2016, there was a complete Internet and mobile services blackout throughout the presidential elections. The networks were fully restored after three weeks.    

Arbitrary Shutdown of Social Media Platforms

The reasons behind the blocking of the social media on May 9, 2016 remained unexplained, until they were restored on December 2, 2016. Several rights groups including Internet Without Border, Access Now, that advocate for a transparent and neutral Internet denounced the shutdown. . According to Internet without Borders (ISF), the shutdown cost Chad an estimated amount of 500 million euros. 

Ongoing social media blackout in Chad since March 28, 2018

Since March 28, 2018, there has been another social media blackout in full swing, forcing Chadians, who are already used to such situations to bypass the shutdown by using circumvention tools to access the Internet. Annadjib, a young blogger in an interview with TV5 Monde, bitterly explained how the shutdown has interrupted his regular use of the Internet.  At the very beginning of this censorship, several freedom of expression and human rights organisations denounced the shutdown of social media platforms in Chad. For instance, the African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) wrote to Airtel officials in the country to demand explanation for the shutdown but, did not receive any feedback. AFEX again issued a statement calling on the government to restore the platforms. Internet without Borders (ISF) also wrote articles in which it called on governments in Central Africa to intervene. But this was also, without any success. On August 24, 2018, ISF and a group of Chadian lawyers, led by Mr. Frédéric Daïnonet, filed a complaint against the mobile operators Airtel and Tigo for blocking access to social social media for over five months at the time. M. Daïnonet denounced the shutdown as a violation of consumer rights and an infringement of the freedom of expression. But in the meantime, the network remains censored. 

Government’s Buck-Passing

In a radio interview, Mr. Ahmat Bachir, Minister of Public Security and Administration of Chad denied the restrictions of social media platforms by operators. According to him, “the government would not have allowed/condoned any disruption or restriction of social networks”. For the Chadian minister, the censorship felt by the majority of Chadians is a myth. Inviting civil society groups who are currently filing complaints in Chadian courts for the restoration of normal connectivity, he said: “These are bad languages, gossip,” as reported on the ISF website. 

Chadian Internet users (netizens) forced to adapt

Forced to use apps to connect to social networks, Chadians complain about additional costs. The only alternative in order not to exceed their monthly Internet budget is to connect less than usual. This does not favor the growth of the digital economy and the emergence of true freedom of expression. 

Chadian Netizens gripped by Paranoia  

Often, we hear that WhatsApp as well as other social media platforms are monitored in the country. These are usually rumors circulating among internet users. Those who are more cautious have deactivated their social media accounts, others are just observers, and the bravest continue to navigate as if nothing had happened, that is if they do not end up becoming activists fighting to free “their Internet”. Under no circumstances should censorship be a substitute for dialogue. To gag a whole population amounts to provoking them to rebellion leading to their losing confidence in the authorities.    

It is therefore important for stakeholders to work together to protect Internet users by adopting rights-respecting legislation as well as taking measures to protect them against online threats and dangers. The government of Chad has a duty to promote Internet access and penetration, guarantee its transparency and to offer digital literacy education to citizens so that they can take full advantage of the benefits the Internet presents.  

 

Journalist Brutalised on Alleged Orders of Politician

Felicia Anthonio
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Journalist Brutalised on Alleged Orders of Politician

This statement was originally published on www.mfwa.org on August 29, 2018.

Thugs believed to have been hired by a politican, Hassan Ayariga, have attacked a senior reporter with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Bawku, in the Upper East Region of Ghana.

Having invited the reporter, Jerry Azanduna, to a supposed press conference to be addressed by Mr. Ayariga on August 27, 2018, the thugs, numbering five, offered to take the journalist to the conference venue in their car, according to a story published by the GNA.

Instead, Azanduna was driven to the house of Ayariga and assaulted, allegedly, on the orders of the politician who questioned the journalist over a recent story he had written about him (Ayariga).

The GNA reported Azanduna was severely beaten while an armed policeman stood by unconcerned. The journalist suffered bruises all over his body, including both eyes. He is reported to be responding to treatment at the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital, after being issued with a police medical form.

Meanwhile, Ayariga, who has reportedly spurned an opportunity to react to the “offending” publication, after calling the GNA to protest against it, has refused to comment on the assault and his alleged involvement.

The MFWA condemns the brutality meted out to Azanduna and calls for thorough investigations into the assault. We believe that as the founder of a political party and two-time candidate in Ghana’s presidential elections, Ayariga would not condone such a blatant violation of press freedom and the human rights of a fellow citizen. We are therefore disappointed at his silence over the incident which he is expected to condemn, no matter who the culprits are.

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