AFEX) Is a Continental Network of Some of the Leading Freedom of Expression and Media Rights Groups in Africa That Seeks to Promote Free Speech and Human Rights

1 | Page Table of Content Executive Summary……………………………………………………………………......2 Introduction………………………………………………………………………………..3 Methodology………………………………………………………………………………..4 Findings…………………………………………………………………………………......4 Incidents of Freedom of Expression Violations Recorded………………………………… 7 Country-by-Country Analysis of Violations Recorded…..…………………………………. 8 Notable Trends……………………………………………………………………………..14 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………….15 Recommendations…………………………………………………………………………15 2 | Page Executive Summary The African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) is a continental network of some of the leading freedom of expression and media rights groups in Africa that seeks to promote free speech and human rights. AFEX is currently made up of thirteen (13) members that are all members of the Toronto-based global free expression network, IFEX. As part of its free expression and human rights advocacy efforts, AFEX puts together periodic reports that seek to highlight incidents of freedom of expression (FOE) violations and developments in Africa’s media landscape. The Freedom of Expression Situation in Africa Report covers incidents of FOE violations and related developments recorded in 23 countries for the first half of 2017 – January to June. The freedom of expression landscape for the first half of 2017 saw a total of 113 incidents recorded in 23 countries. Security agents were the worst perpetrators of FOE violations and were responsible for a total of 80 violations. State officials and individuals distantly followed with 12 violations each. The courts in various countries accounted for six (6) violations while organised groups and regulatory bodies recorded two (2) and one (1) violation respectively. The most heinous type of violation, killing (6) was recorded in six (6) countries – Guinea, Togo, Sierra Leone, Niger, Nigeria and Somalia. Unfortunately, security agents’ brutalities against protesters in Togo, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Niger claimed the lives of ten (10) persons. Unidentified individuals were the perpetrators of the remaining two incidents which resulted in the killing of one journalist in Nigeria and several citizens in Somalia. These acts of violence also resulted in injuries to several others. All six (6) incidents of killing are yet to be redressed. Journalists, media professionals, human rights activists and ordinary citizens were the major victims of most of the violations recorded for the first half of 2017. Only 10 (9%) out of 113 incidents of violations received redress whiles the remaining 103 (91%) incidents went unpunished. This again brings to light the pervasiveness of impunity for FOE violations and the lack of commitment by African leaders to combat impunity and prioritise the safety of journalists in the region. AFEX is once again calling on governments, security agencies, stakeholders and civil society actors to come together to combat impunity for crimes against journalists and ensure that journalists, media professionals, activists and citizens enjoy their fundamental rights to free speech. 3 | Page Introduction Journalists, media professionals, human rights activists and ordinary citizens are sometimes beaten, harassed, arbitrarily arrested and detained, sentenced and, in worst scenarios, killed for exercising their right to freedom of expression. Even though the freedom of expression and media rights environment has improved significantly over the past two decades, violations of FOE rights are still prevalent. Unfortunately, most of the violations go unpunished leaving perpetrators who are most often state security agents emboldened to blatantly violate FOE rights. Such violations cow dissenting voices and nurture a culture of self-censorship which is inimical to democracy and good governance. As part of interventions to mitigate these and other challenges in the FOE and media environment in Africa, the African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX), a continental network of free expression organisations, monitors the FOE and media landscape to track and report on prevailing and emerging developments and challenges. Findings from the monitoring are collated into periodic publications titled, the Freedom of Expression Situation in Africa Report. The reports are used as reference materials and advocacy tools for the promotion and protection of FOE and media rights in Africa. This edition of the Freedom of Expression Situation in Africa Report (The AFEX FOE Situation Report) covers issues tracked from January to June 2017. Methodology The AFEX network is made up of 13 freedom of expression and media rights organisations spread across South, East, West and Central Africa. While some of the member organisations work in specific countries, others work across sub-regional blocs. On a daily basis, the member organisations monitor the FOE and media landscape in their respective countries and regions and report on them accordingly. The AFEX FOE Situation in Africa Report is compiled using the monitoring reports and statements received from AFEX’s member organisations. The reports from members are complemented through online monitoring and other FOE developments (positive and negative) reported on the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX) website by other human rights organisations in Africa. This makes it possible for AFEX to compile reports on countries its member organisations are currently not working on. This report is, thus, based on credible FOE reports gathered over a six-month period (January-June 2017). The incidents cited in the report cover positive and negative developments about freedom of expression (offline and online), freedom of assembly, access to information and media rights in Africa. The term, freedom of expression (FOE), is however used as an umbrella term that covers incidents 4 | Page related to the right of people to come together to express their sentiments and needs through protests (freedom of assembly); access to information and media rights. Altogether, 113 incidents of violations were recorded from 23 countries during the first half of 2017. The findings are presented under the following subheadings: Type of violations, perpetrators of violations recorded, target/victim of violations, countries and incidents of violations recorded. Notable freedom of expression and press freedom developments observed during the six-month monitoring period are also highlighted in the report. The report concludes with a number of recommendations for the improvement of the FOE situation in Africa. Findings The FOE environment in Africa in the first half of 2017 (January-June) was not impressive. This was because more FOE violations were cited in January to June, 2017 than the preceding six months (July- December 2016). Even though the number of countries cited in the two periods varies, the record of violations from January to June 2017 (113) was proportionately higher than the record of violations (63) cited six months earlier (July-December 2016). That showed that the FOE situation in Africa in the first half of 2017 did not see improvements. Over the six-month (January-June, 2017) monitoring period, a total of 113 FOE violations were recorded from 23 African countries. Nigeria recorded 23 FOE violations, the highest among the 23 countries. Cameroon and Togo followed with 13 violations each. Somalia and Ghana recorded 10 and 8 incidents respectively. In all, 12 categories of violations were recorded. State security agents were the most dominant perpetrators of the violations. The violations were perpetrated against journalists, media professionals, human rights activists, media organisations and individuals. Although a few of the violations cited were redressed, many remained unaddressed at the time of finalising this report. Details of these broad findings are presented below. Types of Violations Twelve categories of violations were coded during the first half of 2017. Arrests and detentions (32 incidents) and physical attacks (32 incidents) were the main categories of violations often perpetrated. In addition to the worrying incidents of arrests and detentions and physical attacks recorded, there were six incidents of killing in Togo, Guinea, Somalia, Niger, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. The other 10 categories of violations recorded and their frequency of incidence are presented in Figure 1 below 5 | Page Figure 1: Types of Violations and Number of Incidents Recorded Perpetrators of Violations Recorded State security agents remain key perpetrators of FOE violations in Africa. They were the major perpetrators of the violations recorded in the period under review (January-June 2017) accounting for 70% (80) of the 113 violations. Police brutalities resulted in the murder of ten (10) protesters and injury of several citizens in Guinea, Togo, Niger and Sierra Leone. Guinea recorded the highest number of deaths during protest. The apparently persistent attacks by state security agents on press freedom and freedom of expression (including expression through protests) is a worrying situation that needs urgent redress. Security agents have a duty and responsibility to protect the rights of citizens and ensure that those rights are respected. In a situation where the security agents are themselves the violators of the rights as observed over the monitoring period and also over the last six months of 2016, targets and victims are left helpless and vulnerable as it becomes unclear to them who to report the violations to. 6 | Page Figure 3: Shows details of the number of violations

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