Journalists and media advocates have called for all particularly African governments, media and civil society organisations to work together to end impunity against journalists on the continent.
They also noted that many journalists are still working in conditions devoid of safety and freedom on the continent with a lot being targeted for killings and human rights violations.
The journalists made the call in a statement issued on Friday at the end of the 20th African Investigative Journalism Conference (AIJC) 2024 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Over 450 journalists from 32 countries gathered at the largest investigative journalism conference on the continent from October 30 to November 1.
Endorsed by the African Editors’ Forum (TAEF) and other prominent organizations, the statement called for immediate actions to protect journalists and ensure the survival of free, independent media.
The statement added that journalists in Africa continue to face life-threatening conditions, physical and digital attacks, and the criminalization of their work, citing cases where legal and technological tools are weaponized to silence journalists to obstruct public accountability efforts.
“We in Africa are not safe from this reality – many journalists still work in life-threatening conditions. We are still being subjects of killings for speaking the truth about corruption and human rights violations, we are subject to physical and digital attacks and in some cases, the objectives of these attacks are to prejudice and incentivize disinformation and hate against us and our work.
“In many African countries, laws are still being used to criminalize or persecute us… and the list goes on.”
The journalists urged African governments to take swift action, including releasing detained journalists, dropping charges tied to their reporting, and establishing an international tribunal through the African Union or United Nations to investigate crimes committed against journalists.
Other demands include support mechanisms for journalists facing harassment, security threats, or digital breaches, emphasizing investing in safety and training programs specifically designed for female journalists and promoting cross-border collaborations to support sustainable investigative journalism and uphold press freedom across Africa.
Babaji Usman Babaji is an investigative journalist with over four years of experience, renowned for his impactful reporting on corruption, human rights violations, and holding those in power accountable in Nigeria.
His career is distinguished by participation in numerous media training programs and conferences, which have honed his investigative and reporting skills. Babaji’s data-driven stories have made a significant impact, particularly in Northern Nigeria, shedding light on critical issues and driving meaningful change.
As a reporter under WikkiTimes’ Collaborative Media (CMEDIA) Project, Babaji has led several groundbreaking investigations. He was a 2022 fellow of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) and a 2024 Media Foundation for West Africa DPI/DPG fellow. His contributions to accountability journalism earned him a Certificate of Recognition from Xchange Hama Media for impactful community work.
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