Covid-19 and the escalating assault on press freedom across Southern Africa
By Tatenda Mazarura• 25 May 2021
With the world’s attention focused on combating Covid-19 governments in Southern Africa have taken advantage of the health crisis to escalate censorship, overlook or allow ill treatment of journalists and impose restrictions to silence free speech.
(Photo: medpagetoday.com/Wikipedia)
With the world’s attention focused on combating Covid-19 governments in southern Africa have taken advantage of the health crisis to escalate censorship, overlook or allow ill-treatment of journalists and impose restrictions to silence free speech. Journalists across southern Africa have been intimidated, threatened, fined, jailed, assaulted and even killed for doing their job.
Written by defenceWeb -
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President Felix Tshisekedi’s administration in the Democratic Republic of Congo has increasingly cracked down on the media and activist groups during its two years in office, Human Rights Watch has said.
Despite some initial steps to advance a human rights agenda, the government has threatened, arbitrarily arrested and detained, and prosecuted several dozen journalists, activists, and others deemed critical of the government, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on 28 January.
“People in Congo shouldn’t have to fear harassment or arrest for criticizing or peacefully protesting government policy,” said Thomas Fessy, senior Congo researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Two years on, Tshisekedi’s commitments to respecting rights are starting to sound like broken promises.”
La répression s intensifie en RDC (HRW) – RNA NEWS rnanews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from rnanews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.