MEDIA FREEDOM - The African Mirror

Sep

16

2020

Algeria upholds conviction of journalist; rights groups fear new crackdown

MEDIA FREEDOM

AN Algerian appeals court has upheld the conviction of a journalist in what rights campaigners called a new crackdown on dissent aimed at preventing the revival of mass protests that toppled veteran ruler Abdelaziz Bouteflika last year. The Hirak popular protest movement brought thousands of Algerians to the streets for weekly demonstrations, which continued even after Bouteflika quit and a new president was elected in December. A judicial source and a rights group that defends detainees said the appeals court had upheld the conviction of journalist Khaled Drareni on charges which include threatening national unity and "inciting unarmed gatherings". His…

Sep

14

2020

By The African Mirror

Let us do what we can to ensure that the free and diverse media is able to survive and thrive – Ramaphosa

MEDIA FREEDOM

CYRIL RAMAPHOSA In many countries around the world, the coronavirus pandemic has required the limitation of many civil liberties and put social cohesion to the test. But countries with strong institutions, vigilant judicial systems and robust media have been able to prevent human rights from being undermined and the authority of the state being abused. It has been six months since the national state of disaster was proclaimed. Despite the unprecedented nature of the disease and the immense challenge of placing a country of 58 million people under lockdown, we have fared well. We have managed to contain the spread…

Sep

07

2020

By The African Mirror

Ethiopia bars journalists from flying to Tigray regional vote -passengers

MEDIA FREEDOM

AT least 12 people, including four journalists and a senior think tank analyst, have been barred from flying to Tigray, four of the passengers said after Ethiopian security officials said the region's elections later this week were illegal. Ethiopia's upper house said on Saturday plans by the Tigray region to hold an election on September 9 for regional parliament and other positions were unconstitutional, setting up a potential clash between the central government and the powerful Tigray People's Liberation Front. The TPLF, which runs the northern province, has said the vote will go ahead despite pressure from the central government.…

Nov

07

2020

By The African Mirror

How COVID-19 has worsened attacks against journalists in Kenya

MEDIA FREEDOM

ALMOST a decade after the United Nations set aside November 2 as a day to reflect on ending impunity for crimes against journalists, crimes against media workers in Kenya are still widespread. The coverage of elections and corruption cases has typically prompted these attacks. But now the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed more of the state’s intolerance towards journalists in their line of duty. JOHN NDAVULA, Head of Department, Communication Studies, St Paul's University Kenya confirmed its first case of COVID-19 in mid-March 2020. By the end of the month, the government had imposed a curfew to stem infections. Soon afterwards,…

Nov

04

2020

By The African Mirror

Sorting out fact from fiction when it comes to the safety of Ghana’s media practitioners

MEDIA FREEDOM

JACOB NYARKO, Lecturer of Communication Studies, University of Cape Coast THE ability of the media to function effectively is inseparable from democracy. And that functioning depends on cooperation from different entities in society. So a clampdown on media practitioners is an assault on democracy. In Ghana, which is regarded as a democracy, concerns have been raised about the spate of assaults and intimidation against media practitioners. These fears have been supported by the fact that Ghana has fallen in the ranking of the World Press Freedom Index. In our study we set out to try and identify the source of…

Nov

02

2020

By The African Mirror

Protect Journalists, Protect the Truth

MEDIA FREEDOM

In the past fourteen years (2006-2019), close to 1,200 journalists have been killed for reporting the news and bringing information to the public. In nine out of ten cases the killers go unpunished. Impunity leads to more killings and is often a symptom of worsening conflict and the breakdown of law and judicial systems. These figures do not include the many more journalists, who on a daily basis suffer from non-fatal attacks, including torture, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention, intimidation and harassment in both conflict and non-conflict situations. Furthermore, there are specific risks faced by women journalists, including sexual attacks. Worryingly, only one in…

Oct

12

2020

By The African Mirror

Media in Kenya up in arms over new curbs on media freedom

MEDIA FREEDOM

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER THE media industry in Kenya has raised serious concerns about new restrictions on media reporting of political events. In a joint statement, the 13 organisations that make up the Kenyan Working Media Sector Group (KWMSG), said the new restrictions, approved by the Kenyan National Security Advisory Committee (NSAC) and national cabinet, would interfere with the work of the media. The government of Kenya has introduced the new curbs in order to address political activity that threatened law and order. The KWMSG said the new restrictions were unnecessary and called for them to be lifted. The institutions said they…

Nov

13

2020

By The African Mirror

Zimbabwe journalist Chin’ono denied bail after second arrest

MEDIA FREEDOM

A court in Zimbabwe has denied bail for journalist and government critic Hopewell Chin'ono after his arrest last week on charges of obstruction of justice. The arrest of Chin'ono and dozens of activists in the last four months has led to accusations that the government of President Emmerson Mnangagwa is persecuting the opposition, a charge the authorities deny. Chin'ono, who uses social media posts to criticise the government, was first arrested in July on charges of inciting violent anti-government protests. After his latest arrest, he was charged with contempt of court but prosecutors dropped those charges. He is now accused…

Oct

19

2020

By The African Mirror

“Why journalism matters. The challenges have changed, but has its core purpose?”

MEDIA FREEDOM

PIPPA GREEN Pippa Green SOME four decades ago, the apartheid government closed down a major black daily, The World, and detained its editor, Percy Qoboza, as well as his deputy Aggrey Klaaste. Government bans the World – read one newspaper poster only slightly ironically That day, October 19th, 1977, became aptly known as “Black Wednesday”. A number of other black journalists were detained at the same time – among them Joe Thloloe, who is the former director of the Press Council. Thloloe was already in jail under Section 6 of the Terrorism Act – which allowed for indefinite detention. So…

Oct

18

2020

By The African Mirror

The media have muted the voices of women during COVID-19: can the tide be turned?

MEDIA FREEDOM

THEODORA DAME ADJIN-TETTEY, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Rhodes University COVID-19 has distressed societies to the core. Among the fault lines, it has exposed is the fact that gender bias remains rampant in news coverage. A recent special report – The Missing Perspectives of Women in COVID-19 News – shows that too few women experts have been quoted on the pandemic in the media. The study looked at South Africa, Kenya, India, Nigeria, the US and the UK. Put together by the International Women’s Media Foundation and commissioned by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the report found that even when a…