June 03
West Africa: Police Enter Newsroom Seeking Editor Over Alleged Cocaine Report
On 1 June 2026, Police in Freetown went to the offices of the newspaper Voice of Salone and demanded that its editor, David Johnson, report to the Criminal Investigation Department… Read more »
Niger: Three Journalists Still Detained Seven Months After Arrest Over Shared Press Invitation
On 30 October 2025, six journalists were arrested in Niamey and and on 3rd November, charged with "disseminating data likely to disturb public order", an offence under Niger's… Read more »
May 31
Burkina Faso: Imam Arrested After Criticising Draft Law On Religious Freedoms
Burkinabè security forces arrested Imam Dr Mohamed Ishaq Kindo, one of the country's most influential Sunni scholars and vice-president of the Sunni Movement of Burkina… Read more »
May 19
West Africa: Two Journalists, Activist Win Case Against Police in 2023 Protest Brutality
After two years, Ghanaian journalists Bridget Otoo, Vanessa Edotom Boateng, and activist George Gyening Anyang, have won a court case against the Inspector General of Police and… Read more »
May 15
Benin: Prosecutor Seeks Two-Year Prison Term for Journalist Over Facebook Posts
Beninese journalist and women's rights advocate Angela Kpeïdja faces a possible two-year prison sentence, including one year non-suspended, and a fine of one million CFA… Read more »
May 18
Cote d'Ivoire: Mayor Placed Under Judicial Supervision After Election Loss Allegations
Assalé Tiémoko Antoine, mayor of Tiassalé and president of the political party Aujourd'hui et Demain la Côte d'Ivoire (ADCI), has been charged by Ivorian… Read more »
May 21
West Africa: Activist Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for 'Inciting Insurrection'
Digital activist Ibrahim Zigui, a member of the PPA-CI, the main opposition party, was sentenced on 18 May 2026 to five years' imprisonment and a fine of 20 million CFA francs… Read more »
May 07
Mauritania: Two MPs Jailed for Four Years Over Social Media Posts Criticising President
A court in the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott sentenced two members of parliament to four years in prison without parole on May 4, 2026, following charges arising from content they… Read more »
May 25
Ghana: Constituency Official of Ruling Party Bars Journalist From Public Event, Issues Threats
Ibrahim Abode, a reporter with Metro TV, was prevented from covering a government project launch in Ghana's Upper East Region on May 19, 2026, after a party official ordered him to… Read more »
May 11
Gambia: Police Arrest 15 Activists At Anti-Corruption Group's Anniversary Celebration
The Gambia Police Force has arrested 15 anti-corruption activists from the group Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA) on Friday, May 8, 2026, after they gathered inside the Youth… Read more »
April 25
Cote d'Ivoire: Mayor Charged After Alleging Ruling Party Stole His Election Victory
Assalé Tiémoko Antoine, mayor of Tiassalé, was taken into custody following an interrogation by police which lasted for nearly 14 hours in Abidjan on April 22,… Read more »
May 05
Nigeria: Nigeria - Police Arrest 13 Suspects in Relation to Attack On Journalist
Investigative journalist Allwell Ene of Megaletrics Media Group was attacked by a group of men in the Garrison Junction area of Port Harcourt, on April 13, 2026, while… Read more »
April 15
Sierra Leone: Opposition Flagbearer Aspirant Sentenced to Four Years Imprisonment
On April 14, 2026, Zainab Sheriff, Chairperson of the Wi Duti civic movement and a flagbearer aspirant of the opposition All People's Congress (APC), was sentenced to four years… Read more »
April 07
Mauritania: Authorities Crack Down On Protest Against Rising Transport Fares
On April 5, 2026, police in Nouakchott dispersed a protest against rising fuel prices using tear gas. The demonstration, organised by the president of the Renouveau du Mouvement… Read more »
March 30
West Africa: Prolonged Ban On Journalist From Parliament Concerning, MFWA Calls for Reinstatement
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) is concerned about the continued ban on journalist Melvin Mansaray, which has now lasted for over a year. Mansaray was indefinitely… Read more »
March 26
West Africa: Journalist Sentenced to Two Years' Imprisonment for 'Insulting' Niger's President
Youssouf Sissoko, editor-in-chief of the newspaper L'Alternance in Mali, was sentenced on March 23, 2026, by the National Cybercrime Court to two years' imprisonment and ordered to… Read more »
February 20
West Africa: Prosecutor Seeks Six Months' Jail for Sen TV Commentator
Modou Fall, a commentator for Sen TV, was taken into custody on February 11, 2026, following questioning by the Faidherbe investigation unit, a division of the Dakar gendarmerie. Read more »
March 02
Ghana: TikTok Content Creator Arrested Over False Claims About Police
Isaac Boafo, a 45-year-old social media content creator popularly known online as "Duabo King", was arrested on March 1, 2026, by officers from the Police Intelligence Directorate… Read more »
February 19
West Africa: Ghana - Court Begins Trial in Journalist Assault Case
The Accra Circuit Court has commenced criminal proceedings against a suspect accused of assaulting broadcast journalist Latif Iddrisu in May 2025. Read more »
February 06
Mali: Journalist Detained Over Article Citing Nigerien President's Statements
Youssouf Sissoko, editor-in-chief of the newspaper L'Alternance was arrested at his home in Bamako on 5 February 2026 and taken to the National Cybercrime Unit for questioning. Read more »
February 03
West Africa: Retired Lecturer Arrested Following Criticisms of Government
Sosthène Yaméogo, a 62-year-old former lecturer and orchestra conductor at Joseph Ki-Zerbo University in Ouagadougou, was arrested at his home on January 31, 2026, by… Read more »
January 29
Ghana: Military Investigates Assault of Journalist
The Ghana Armed Forces has launched an investigation into the assault of Solomon Kwame Kanaluwe, a journalist with the Media General Group, by military personnel in Walewale, in… Read more »
January 28
West Africa: Youth Activist Sentenced, Released After 19 Days in Detention
Jean-François Kouassi, also known as JFK, a youth leader in Côte d'Ivoire, has been convicted and sentenced to a short prison term following public criticism of… Read more »
December 10, 2025
Togo: Media Watchdog Calls for the Immediate Release of Togolese Poet Detained for 11 Months
On January 10, 2025, a father, an entrepreneur and a poet, Honoré Sitsopé Sokpor, poured his heart out in a poem he published on his Facebook account. Two days later,… Read more »
November 27, 2025
West Africa: Activist Arrested After Group Petitions Police On Behalf of Three Ministers
Wendell Nana Yaw Yeboah, a mobilisation officer at the activist group, Democracy Hub, has been arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) following a petition… Read more »
