Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)

The Media Foundation for West Africa met with Gambian President Adama Barrow to discuss press freedom and impunity for crimes against journalists under the Jammeh regime.

A total of 183 deaths were recorded from July to December 2016 following clashes between protestors and security agents in Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo and Mali. To date, not one security agent has been prosecuted for any of the killings in the three countries.

The unexpected defeat of Yahya Jammeh in the 2016 elections and the subsequent assumption of power of President Adama Barrow opens a window of opportunity for press freedom, freedom of expression and media development.

With 54 TV and radio stations shut down, and another 120 possibly on the chopping block, Nigerians will have much fewer options to get their news from.

Over 70 rights and expression organisations worldwide entreated the UN Human Rights Council’s 34th session to call on Turkey to take immediate steps to address the ongoing free expression crisis in the country.

Attempts by gendarmes in Togo to disperse thousands of taxi and commercial motorcycle drivers who were demonstrating against fuel price increases in Lomé left one person dead and several others injured.

On 31 January 2017, anti-corruption activist Abdul Fatoma was arrested without a warrant, shortly after speaking on the radio about a national corruption scandal. Police confiscated Fatoma’s passport the following day.

Internet shut down in two anglophone regions follows protests over government decision to impose French in schools and courts.