The African Union Commission (AUC) and the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) have called on African governments to better protect journalists. In a joint statement on Monday, they urged member states to investigate attacks, prosecute perpetrators and give victims effective remedies. The statement marked the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, the Nile Post and The EastAfrican reported.
The statement was signed by Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, the AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, and by FAJ President Omar Faruk Osman. According to the Nile Post, the two bodies said journalists across Africa still face killings, physical attacks, arbitrary arrests and detention. They also listed enforced disappearances, intimidation, legal harassment and digital abuse.
This year's global theme is "Threats Evolve. Impunity Endures." It highlights how new technologies and weapons are changing the risks journalists face, especially in conflict zones. The statement said female journalists face particular gender-based threats and online violence. It added that reporters covering elections, armed conflict, corruption and human rights work under severe pressure.
The organisations said unpunished crimes embolden attackers and silence public-interest reporting. As a result, they said, communities are denied the information they need to take part in public life. "Every journalist must be able to report without fear of violence or reprisal," the statement said.
The AU Commission and the FAJ asked governments to set up or strengthen national mechanisms for journalists' safety. They want law enforcement to respect the role of the media and to protect reporters at protests, elections and emergencies. They also warned against using laws to intimidate journalists or block legitimate reporting. Governments should act against surveillance, online harassment and technology-facilitated gender-based violence, they said. They should also involve journalists' groups in designing safety measures.
In West Africa, a specific case was raised to mark the day. The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and nine partner groups sent an open letter and petition to Benin's President Romuald Wadagni, AllAfrica reported. They want an end to the pre-trial detention of journalist Hugues Comlan Sossoukpè, who has been held for nearly 16 months without trial.
According to the petition, Sossoukpè, founder of the investigative outlet Olofofo, was forcibly transferred from Côte d'Ivoire to Benin in July 2025. He had been granted refugee status in Togo in 2021. The groups say he spent seven months in solitary confinement and suffers from respiratory and eye conditions. His request for release on medical grounds was rejected in August 2026, and no trial date has been set.