A new report by the International Press Institute (IPI) highlights an escalating crackdown on journalists across the Sahel. According to the findings, regional authorities are increasingly weaponizing cybercrime and national security laws to harass, arrest, and imprison journalists who cover sensitive topics -specifically human rights abuses and security failures.

Niger has emerged as a primary jailer in the

Eritrean satirical cartoonist Biniam Solomon, also known by his pen name Cobra, has been released after spending 15 years in detention without charge in Asmara, Eritrea. Solomon, arrested in 2011, had never been tried. The reasons for his continued imprisonment were not made clear.

During his detention, Biniam had no contact with his family and received only occasional medical treatment. The authorities did not

The government has dissolved 40 political parties, in a move critics say marks the final step towards a one-party state under President Mamady Doumbouya. The parties include the Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea and the Rally of the People of Guinea of former president Alpha Condé. It also prohibited the use of their logos and party acronyms, names, and emblems. 

The move comes two months after former junta

Human rights organisations have renewed calls for justice over the disappearance of pro-democracy activist Itai Dzamara, who was abducted 11 years ago.

Dzamara disappeared on March 9, 2015, after being allegedly taken by unidentified men from a barber shop in Glen View, Harare. He has not been seen since. Dzamara had been a vocal critic of former president Robert Mugabe before his disappearance. 

The Coalition for Ethiopian Unity has called for an immediate end to attacks on civilians and the closure of media outlets, warning that ongoing conflicts across several regions are inflicting heavy harm on innocent populations.

The coalition, which includes the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Party and the Enat Party, has said

Gabon's media regulator has announced the suspension of all social media platforms, saying online content had fuelled conflict and deepened divisions.

In a televised statement, the High Authority for Communication cited the spread of false information, cyberbullying, and the unauthorised sharing of personal data as reasons for the move. Internet

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called on Namibian authorities to safeguard and respect the rights of the press following a series of incidents that the organization says raise concerns about officials' willingness to face public scrutiny.

The expulsion of reporter Jemima Beukes from President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah's official residence, along with online threats against journalist Tracy

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called on Malian authorities to reverse a ban on the privately owned French magazine, Jeune Afrique. The magazine was accused of "glorifying terrorism" and engaging in "defamation and incitement to hatred".

The measure is the latest in a series of bans on French media by the Alliance of Sahel States - Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso - which was

Women and girls in Zimbabwe are facing the growing threat of technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV), the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) has warned.

In a statement to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the ZHRC said technology-facilitated abuse no longer occurs on the periphery: "Women and girls are increasingly self-censoring to avoid online

The Press Union of Liberia (PUL) has issued a strongly worded rebuke of House Speaker Richard Nage Koon after he threatened to "jail" journalists who record proceedings at the body before a quorum was reached. The PUL said the Speaker's remarks demonstrated the "dangerous" mindset of some public officials in the country and were an attempt to "weaponize state power".

The union