Africa: A free expression and civic space round-up produced by IFEX's Regional Editor Reyhana Masters, based on IFEX member reports and news from the region
March was a month of stark contrasts for freedom of expression on the African continent. On one hand, journalists faced brutal assaults, suspensions, and forced abductions, while on the other, two major developments in Ghana that civil society has been advocating for provided renewed hope for justice and accountability.
In Memorium: We were deeply saddened to learn of the untimely passing of Muheeb Saeed on 30 March 2025. As a friend, colleague, and powerful advocate for press freedom and journalist safety with the Media Foundation for West Africa, he will be profoundly missed. We dedicate this month’s regional brief to him.
Justice in Ghana
Ghana witnessed a long-awaited arrest in the 2019 murder case of journalist Ahmed Hussein-Suale Divela. Secondly, a landmark US court ruling delivered a significant blow to defamation. Investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas was awarded $18 million in damages against Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, a former Ghanaian member of parliament, for defamatory statements made against him.
The arrest in the Hussein-Suale murder case is a significant step forward in a long fight against impunity. For years, IFEX member the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and other press freedom stakeholders in Ghana and abroad have been pressuring the government to bring those responsible to justice.
Hussein-Suale, a key investigator in Anas’ Tiger Eye P.I. team, was shot at close range in Accra after his identity was exposed on Agyapong’s television channel, Net 2. His murder sent shockwaves through the media landscape, reinforcing concerns over journalist safety in Ghana.
Equally groundbreaking is the US court ruling in favour of Anas against Agyapong. A vocal critic of investigative journalism, Agyapong had publicly disparaged Anas, accusing him of corruption and inciting hostility toward him. His statements, widely viewed as reckless and dangerous, contributed to an environment in which investigative journalists in Ghana felt increasingly threatened. The $18 million judgment not only vindicates Anas but also sets a precedent for holding public figures accountable for defamatory remarks that incite harm.
Strengthening journalism as a force for accountability and transparency
In a country where access to public information is often hindered by bureaucratic barriers, IFEX member the Gambia Press Union (GPU) held two workshops designed to help journalists navigate the Access to Information (ATI) law and equip them with tools to break down those walls. Over the past few months, GPU has trained 100 journalists – 75 from various media platforms in December 2024 and then 25 community radio journalists in February 2025 – on open-source investigations and the ATI law.
GPU secretary-general Modou Joof emphasised the importance of journalists unpacking the country’s ATI legislation to expose wrongdoing, track government spending, and promote accountability.
Community radio journalists, who play a vital role in keeping rural communities informed, found the training particularly transformative.
“We play a crucial role in keeping grassroots communities informed. By mastering the ATI law, we can ensure transparency in local governance, expose corruption, and bring vital public interest stories to light.” – Sainey Dibba, Network of Community Radios – Gambia
GPU followed up on the training with investigative grants for participants working on in-depth news stories and current affairs programs allowing them to test the law in practice. This initiative is intended to help measure the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
CIPESA unpacks ACHPR Resolution 522 on digital gender-based violence
International Women’s Day celebrations in March featured a webinar hosted by IFEX member CIPESA, zoning in on the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) Resolution 522 on the Protection of Women Against Digital Violence in Africa.
The webinar built on the points raised in a previous IFEX article that explored the effectiveness of the resolution through the perspectives of digital rights advocates across the African continent. It underscored both the progress and the gaps in translating this resolution into meaningful protections for women online.
Ugandan Supreme Court judge Justice Monica Mugenyi stressed the importance of clear legal definitions in ensuring successful prosecution of cyber-based offenses. She pointed out that ambiguous legal provisions often hinder cases involving cyberbullying and online harassment, leading to low conviction rates, thus highlighting the need for robust legal frameworks that explicitly address digital gender-based violence.
Donald Dare, head of the Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU), warned against relying solely on legal mechanisms. He encouraged the idea of a multifaceted approach to combat online violence, emphasising the need for a comprehensive strategy encompassing policy reforms and public condemnation.
Dare observed that digital violence against women is often perpetrated by influential individuals, including senior professionals and political leaders. He suggested that incorporating public censure into the strategy could be a powerful deterrent, as perpetrators would be held accountable by their peers and colleagues. This collective condemnation could ultimately lead to a societal shift, where online abuse is universally recognised as morally reprehensible and unacceptable.
CIPESA concluded the webinar with the launch of a petition advocating for the eradication of jurisdictional loopholes that allow perpetrators of digital violence to evade justice. Too often, survivors are told that courts lack the authority to act against offenders residing in a different country. The petition can serve as a rallying point to pressure the African Union and national governments to take decisive action and establish legal mechanisms that hold digital abusers accountable, regardless of their geographical location.
Escalating attacks journalists; media groups and CSOs respond
In a disturbing pattern of escalating assaults on press freedom, journalists across Nigeria, Ghana, and Uganda have faced brutal attacks by military and security forces while performing their duties.
MFWA condemns assault on three journalists
During the first week of March, Punch newspaper correspondent Dare Olawin along with a TVC cameraman and a freelancer were violently attacked by Nigerian military personnel in Ikeja, Lagos State. The three were covering the unveiling of a solar project when Air Force officers stormed the premises, allegedly angry over the loss of electrical power at their military base. The journalists were dragged from their vehicle, beaten, and forced to sit on the ground. Their phones, cameras, and other equipment were confiscated.
The MFWA condemned the assault. Seeking clarification on the incident, the MFWA has reached out to Olusola Akinboyewa, the Nigerian Air Force spokesperson, but as of preparing this brief they had not yet received a response.
Journalists subjected to military brutality in Ghana
Just weeks earlier, on 13 February, two journalists – Alhassan Dokurugu of Asaase Radio and Tahiru Ibrahim of Zaa Multimedia – were attacked by military personnel in Ghana’s north east region while covering an arson attack on a passenger bus. As they attempted to leave the scene they were stopped and assaulted by soldiers, despite presenting their press credentials.
According to Dokurugu they were initially stopped and questioned by soldiers at two checkpoints but permitted to pass after showing their press cards. At the third barrier. a group of soldiers dismissed their press credentials. “One of them said we enthusiastically report on military operations in the town but fail to report effectively on civilian attacks on each other.” When the journalists tried to file a report of the incident, police officials refused to take up the matter citing the involvement of military personnel.
Media push back in Uganda against attacks during by-elections
In Uganda, attacks on journalists have been particularly relentless – with four separate attacks in under three weeks.
Ibrahim Miracle, a journalist with Christian-based Top Television, was hospitalised after being brutally assaulted by security operatives while covering the nomination of candidates for the Kawempe North by-election on 26 February. The attack sparked widespread outrage within the journalism community, with many condemning the excessive use of force.
On 3 March, NTV journalist Stephen Mbidde was assaulted and a day later, his colleague Stephen Kibwika was attacked by security operatives. They were both covering campaigns for the same by-election in Kawempe North. Despite complying with police directives, Mbidde was thrown to the ground and injured and Kibwika was pursued and beaten for recording the violent crackdown. The violence reached an alarming peak on 13 March, when at least 12 journalists covering the by-election were attacked by security forces. Among them was Daily Monitor journalist Hasifah Nanvuma, who recounted on live television how she was beaten with sticks and had to hide in a toilet to escape further assault. Photojournalist Francis Isano was left unconscious after being struck with batons and electric wires.
In response to the attacks, Uganda’s media fraternity took a bold stance and imposed a total media coverage boycott on all security agencies, including the Uganda Police Force and Uganda People’s Defence Forces. As Moses Al Sayed Lubega, the president of the Uganda Sports Press Association, explained:
“We can no longer guarantee the safety of our colleagues in the field. We believe it is in the best interest of media houses and individual journalists to ensure safety.”
Sam Ibanda Mugabi, president of the Uganda Parliament Press Association, explained that the collective “decision to boycott activities of security agencies [is] a way of fighting back.”
The media’s pushback was further bolstered by a petition to the Uganda Human Rights Commission from 15 of the journalists who had been assaulted during the by-elections.
“Still nursing visible injuries, the journalists filed their petition at the UHRC offices in Kampala, calling for action against those responsible for the attacks. Among them was Isano Francis, a photojournalist with NBS TV, who remains on crutches due to his injuries.” Human Rights Network for Journalists (HRNJ-Uganda)
Public input on Zimbabwe’s Broadcasting Services amendment sidelined
MISA-Zimbabwe and the Media Alliance of Zimbabwe (MAZ) expressed their disappointment over the passage of the Broadcasting Services Amendment Bill in the National Assembly on 4 March, citing that it fell short of meeting democratic standards of broadcasting regulation. MISA-Zimbabwe and MAZ were particularly disheartened by the Minister’s apparent disregard of input by members of the public who had attended the various public hearings held throughout the country by the parliamentary portfolio committee on information, media, and broadcasting services
The two organisations produced a shadow report based on their close monitoring of the parliamentary process, which saw an impressive 485 citizens participating. As part of their lobby and advocacy efforts, the two media support organisations also submitted written and oral presentations on the Broadcasting Services Amendment Bill, ensuring their voices were heard in the debate.
In brief
- Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has taken Burundian journalist Sandra Muhoza’s case to the ACHPR Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information, calling for immediate action to secure her release and hold Burundian authorities accountable. Muhoza’s appeal hearing has been repeatedly delayed, with authorities citing dubious reasons, including a lack of fuel for detainee transport as the excuse for the latest adjournment.
- Zimbabwean journalist Blessed Mhlanga of Heart and Soul TV (HSTV) was arrested on 24 February and charged under Section 164 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for allegedly transmitting messages inciting violence. Since his arrest, his case has been repeatedly adjourned, and he has been consistently denied bail. His prolonged detention is a stark example of lawfare – a tactic often used against journalists in Zimbabwe.
- Amnesty International is urging Mozambique’s Attorney General’s office to conduct a transparent and impartial investigation into the disappearance of journalist Arlindo Chissale, who has been missing since January. In a letter dated 17 March addressed to Attorney General Américo Letela, AI demanded that: “Arlindo Chissale’s enforced disappearance is promptly, thoroughly, independently, impartially, transparently and effectively investigated with his fate and whereabouts disclosed.”
- Guinean journalist Abdoul Sacko was taken to hospital after being found on 20 February, 100 kilometres from the capital Conakry, severely injured and showing signs of torture. Investigations revealed that he had been abducted from his home a day earlier by armed men who brutally assaulted him in front of his family before taking him away in an unmarked vehicle.
- The MFWA is calling for the immediate release of Ahmed Ould Samba, a prominent anti-slavery activist, who was detained on 22 January after being summoned by the anti-cybercrime unit of the police. This recent detention is part of a larger campaign of harassment against Ould Samba, stemming from his critical Facebook posts alleging systemic racial discrimination in Mauritania. In October 2024, he was arrested and detained for a month after accusing President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El-Ghazouani of promoting “racist and corrupt policies” and highlighting discriminatory practices in the country’s public service. Ould Samba was also fired from his position as inspector of finance, further highlighting the government’s efforts to silence him.
- Sierra Leonian TV personality and influencer Hawa Hunt was released on 4 March two months after she was arrested live on a reality TV show. Her arrest came just a day after First Lady Fatima Bio visited the show, fuelling speculation that the visit was a prelude to Hunt’s detention. The incident stemmed from an April 2024 viral video in which Hunt criticized President Julius Maada Bio and the First Lady during the country’s elections. She was later charged with cybercrime-related offenses, including inciting public disorder and damaging their reputations.
