Amnesty International on Saturday issued a statement criticizing the continued harassment, arbitrary arrests, and detention of independent journalists in several countries across East and Southern Africa. In particular, the organization reported a rise in internet blockades and shutdowns, as well as the use of oppressive cybersecurity laws to restrict media freedom, especially in countries that held elections in 2025 and 2026.

Across East and Southern Africa, restrictions on media freedom have intensified through a range of repressive measures, including the arbitrary revocation of media licenses, the arrest and arbitrary detention of journalists, unlawful surveillance, enforced disappearances, internet shutdowns, and the misuse of online regulatory laws. These developments suggest that the problem is not limited to isolated incidents in individual countries but reflects a broader regional and structural pattern of attacks on press freedom.

The countries mentioned include Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and Sudan. In Zimbabwe, for example, journalists reportedly faced harassment and violence during a public hearing on proposed constitutional amendments concerning the extension of presidential term limits and the process for electing the president.

Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s regional director for East and Southern Africa, highlighted the lack of accountability in all cases of attacks on journalists and warned that rising hostility toward the media threatens access to information and weakens accountability. Chagutah stated, “Journalism is not a crime. Amnesty International reiterates its call to authorities in the region to immediately release all journalists being held for doing their work, quash their convictions and sentences, and drop ongoing charges against them. They must also refrain from enacting laws that stifle media freedom”.

The continued targeting of journalists signals a broader assault on democratic freedoms. As Amnesty International emphasizes, protecting the press is not optional – it is essential for accountability, transparency, and the protection of fundamental rights.

Looking ahead, the protection of press freedom in East and Southern Africa will likely hinge on the extent to which states align their domestic laws and practices with regional and international human rights obligations, including those relating to freedom of expression and access to information. Instruments such as the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, alongside jurisprudence from regional bodies, provide a clear legal framework against arbitrary detention, censorship, and undue restrictions on the media.