Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) voiced alarm at violence and threats against journalists in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in military-run Sahel states, as it published its World Press Freedom Index Friday.
The Sahel region has become a “zone of no free information” where “patriotic information has taken precedence over independent, quality journalism”, said Camille Montagu, from RSF Sub-Saharan Africa, at a press conference in Senegal’s capital Dakar on Friday.
“Niger (80th) fell 19 places as a result of the draconian measures adopted by the military junta that took power in a coup in July 2023,” RSF said in its annual rankings report.
“The situation is far from brilliant in Burkina Faso (86th), which fell 28 places, and in Mali (114th),” the watchdog added.
The three countries are all under military rule after experiencing coups in recent years, with attacks from armed groups exacerbating a precarious security situation.
The “summoning, requisition and detention” of journalists critical of the government in all three states “has one objective: to create a climate of fear and encourage self-censorship”, Montagu said.
International media have been “kept out of the field” with broadcasting suspended and foreign correspondents forced to leave, sometimes expelled by authorities, he added.
At the end of April, Burkina Faso suspended several foreign television channels, radio stations and news websites for having broadcast a report accusing the army of killings.
Private and independent media are also “on their last legs” economically because support for the press has become the exception, Montagu said.
“Elections in sub-Saharan Africa resulted in a great deal of violence against journalists and the media by political actors and their supporters,” RSF said, citing Nigeria (112th), Madagascar (100th) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (123rd).
RSF also condemned the “political control of media”, with authorities using regulatory bodies “to suspend media without reference to any judge”, such as in Togo (113th), Zimbabwe (116th), Gabon (56th) and Guinea (78th).
But it pointed out that “control loosened in a few countries” –- notably in Tanzania (97th) and Mauritania (33rd), which have moved up around 50 places.