Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)

Between 25 January and 1 April 2017, a total of 11 journalists and one media organisation have been attacked in Somalia, making it one of the most dangerous places to be a journalist in Africa.

Members of IFEX wrote an open letter on behalf of Kazakh Editor Zhanbolat Mamay, calling for a fair and impartial handling of charges against him and full investigation into his mistreatment in prison and threats made to his family.

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.

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.

78 civil society groups condemn the crackdown on dissent in the lead up to elections in Cambodia and call on the government to cease their unlawful attacks on human rights defenders.

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.

MISA Zambia welcomes the pronouncement by Justice Minister Given Lubinda at the 2017 Universal Periodic Review that the Access to Information bill is ready and that the government is working on systems that will readily avail the information to the public.