The top 9 African nations with the most journalists behind bars

The threats against journalists arise from their critical stance, frequently exposing governance flaws and bringing hidden issues to light.

The issue of free speech has long been contentious, influenced by varied interpretations across countries

While some nations welcome scrutiny, many, particularly in Africa, view investigative journalism as a challenge to authority, leading to efforts to suppress dissent.

According to a report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), journalist imprisonment surged in 2024, driven by authoritarian crackdowns, conflict, and political or economic instability.

Over 100 journalists were newly jailed, highlighting the growing risks they face.

“These numbers should be a wake-up call for us all,” said CPJ CEO Jodie Ginsberg, emphasizing the correlation between attacks on journalists and broader threats to freedoms.

“A rise in attacks on journalists almost always precedes a rise in attacks on other freedoms – the freedom to give and receive information, the freedom to assemble and move freely, the freedom to protest.” he added.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported that as of December 1, 2024, at least 361 journalists were imprisoned worldwide.

Of these, over 60%, or 228 journalists, were detained under broad anti-state laws designed to silence independent voices.

Although the global total fell slightly below the 2022 record of 370 imprisoned journalists, 2024 saw unprecedented detentions in countries like China, Israel, Tunisia, and Azerbaijan.

The report highlights that vague charges, including terrorism or “extremism,” account for a significant portion of these imprisonments.

Other common accusations include incitement, defamation, and spreading false news.

In Africa, several countries emerged as leading jailers of journalists in 2024, reflecting the continent’s ongoing struggle with press freedom and governmental crackdowns on dissent.

According to the CPJ report, at least 67 journalists are imprisoned across Africa, reflecting the continent’s ongoing struggle for a free press.

The countries which account for the highest number of imprisoned journalist in Africa are presented in the table below;

Egypt led in Africa and ranked sixth globally for journalist imprisonment in 2024, with 17 jailed.

Eritrea, the second top jailer in Africa, tied globally with Iran and Vietnam as the seventh-worst offenders globally with 16 journalists incarcerated since the early 2000s.

Ethiopia detained six journalists, five of whom face terrorism charges related to coverage of the Amhara conflict, with potential death penalties.

Burundi has a trend of anti-state charges against journalists. Sandra Muhoza was held on such charges.

Others, like Floriane Irangabiye and four Iwacu journalists, received similar charges but were later freed by presidential pardons.

Tunisia saw its highest-ever journalist detentions, holding five reporters under a controversial cybercrime decree.

Cameroon and Rwanda each imprisoned five journalists, mostly on anti-state or false news charges.

Nigeria prosecuted four journalists under its cybercrimes law for reporting on alleged corruption.

While 2024 was a heartbreaking, and, in several countries, a record-breaking year for journalists imprisoned around the world, some hope shone through.

Around 90 journalists were freed before the CPJ’s December 1 annual prison census and, although some still faced exile or post-prison harassment, they managed to be reunited with friends and family.