Environmental journalists in Africa facing violence, says report
The International Press Institute, a nonprofit that aims to protect media freedom, recorded 26 incidents of attacks and threats in the five months to March.
A recent report has highlighted the alarming rise in violence and threats faced by environmental journalists in sub-Saharan Africa. The International Press Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to safeguarding media freedom, documented 26 incidents of attacks and threats between September and March of this year. The report reveals that journalists who delve into critical issues surrounding natural resource exploitation, such as illegal mining, deforestation, and oil management, are particularly vulnerable.
In countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, and Mozambique, reporters have encountered physical assaults, verbal abuse, and threats while investigating illegal mining and logging operations. Similarly, in Chad and Namibia, media professionals have faced arrest and intimidation for scrutinizing the management of national oil resources.
Two journalists, specifically, are currently detained. One was arrested in Zimbabwe in February and is facing "cyberbullying" charges after his news outlet exposed suspected corruption in a multibillion-dollar waste-to-energy deal.
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