‘Free all journalists detained for doing their work’, says Amnesty International on Press Freedom Day

Chagutah said authorities in East and Southern regions continued their campaigns of harassment and arbitrary arrests and detention of independent journalists over the past year.

The organisation reported it documented sustained intimidation, harassment, and attacks on independent media in several countries in the region.

AI also documented increased internet blockades or shutdowns and the use of restrictive cyber security laws to restrict media freedom, especially in countries that held elections in 2025 and early 2026.

“Across the region, governments and in some instances non-state actors, intensified their crackdowns on the media and journalists through shutdowns and arrests and arbitrary detentions.

“They weaponised criminal justice systems to target journalists and continued to use broad and vaguely worded laws to silence and intimidate them. This all came at a time when media revenues were low, putting an even greater strain on press freedom,” added Chagutah.

In Zimbabwe, he highlighted that, “journalist Blessed Mhlanga remains in exile following his speech at the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on 18 February 2026 where he spoke about media repression and shrinking civic space.

“Gideon Madzikatidze, a journalist with Bulawayo24, has remained in custody since 18 February 2026 after he was detained for publishing a story alleging corruption involving a waste management company.

“He has been charged with cyberbullying and ‘broadcasting without a licence,’ despite the story being published online. He has been denied bail three times.”

Chagutah said that journalists’ freedom was under siege as in Ethiopia, where journalists faced a renewed wave of crackdowns by the authorities in recent months.

“Prominent outlets such as Wazema Radio and Addis Standard have had their licenses arbitrarily revoked.”

In Tanzania, August 2025, the Home Affairs minister ordered police to conduct “online patrols” to apparently monitor “individuals who used digital platforms to disrupt peace and security.”

The Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority in September, reportedly imposed a 90-day ban on online platform JamiiForums, alleging it had published misleading and defamatory content about the government, in contravention of the 2020 Online Content Regulations and its amendments.

Security forces in Uganda allegedly attacked dozens of journalists covering the March 2025 parliamentary by-elections in Kawempe in the capital, Kampala.

“Journalists from NTV Uganda and the Daily Monitor newspaper were also subsequently banned from covering parliamentary proceedings and the presidency.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) armed conflicts have had a chilling effect on the media, AI added.

“Control of large swathes of eastern DRC by the March 23 Movement (M23) armed group has had a chilling effect on the media resulting in M23’s detention, torture, and threats against journalists, forcing numerous journalists to flee M23-controlled areas.

In Mozambique, the National Institute of Communication suspended for 48 hours Vida and Encontro radio stations in Nampula city in February 2025.

“It claimed, without evidence, that their broadcasting was disrupting the connection between the local airport’s control tower and aircraft.

In June, around 16 journalists were arrested and their equipment confiscated by the security forces in Muidumbe district, Cabo Delgado.

Chagutah stated that in Somalia, journalists were attacked by security forces and subjected to threats, harassment, intimidation, beatings, arbitrary arrests and prosecution last year.

The government stepped up attempts to control and censor journalists reporting on public interest issues, including insecurity, corruption and forced evictions.

Amid the ongoing conflict in South Sudan, journalists have been targeted with arrests, detentions, abductions and killings as President Salva Kiir Mayardit signed into law the Cybercrimes and Computer Misuse Act in February 2026.

“In all the cases of attacks against journalists that we have documented, no one has been held accountable. Victims continue to be denied access to justice and effective remedies.

“This increased hostility against the media threatens people’s access to information and weakens accountability,” said Chagutah.

The post ‘Free all journalists detained for doing their work’, says Amnesty International on Press Freedom Day appeared first on NewZimbabwe.com.