Launching of the 2009 IFJ Africa Press Freedom Report

The Year 2009 can be considered as one of the worst years for press freedom in the African continent. Considering the year under review, 13 journalists were killed across the continent; 32 journalists imprisoned, a significant number of journalists arrested, some violently attacked and wounded, while threats and intimidation against journalists continued unabated.

In Eastern Africa, Somalia and Eritrea were identified as the most hostile spots for journalists in the continent. In Somalia alone, 9 journalists were assassinated by armed militias, while 19 journalists are still held incommunicado in Eritrean jails, just for carrying out their noble journalistic work.  In North Africa, the tension between the media and the state in Tunisia had become alarming.  In Central Africa, the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continues to be overshadowed with daily insecurity and impunity.  In West Africa, The Gambia, Guinea and Niger became the leading nations in the suppression and violations of press freedom rights during 2009.

This appalling situation prompted the Africa office of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) to compile   a report on the state of press freedom in Africa based of the media alerts published during the course of the year in the framework of their advocacy strategy.

Various reports are published on press freedom with several angles. The IFJ Africa and FAJ report however, intends to give a clear picture of the situation which prevails on the continent.

This report intends to inform and sensitize African Governments, decision makers, and especially the African Union to prioritize press freedom and freedom of expression as a key component for good governance democracy and national development.

The report was launched today, January 21, 2010 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

- January 21, 2010 by IFG

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Source: africa.ifj.org/en/articles/launching-of-the-2009-ifj-africa-press-freedom-report (accessed on 25.01.2010)