In Swaziland, Attorney General Majahenkhaba Dlamini warned that journalists who report critically against the government would be viewed as supporting “terrorists” and arrested. There has been growing tension in the country following the government’s campaign to eliminate political dissent. The government has outlawed political activities and popular forms of free expression such as marches and demonstrations.

  In Niger, journalists Moussa Aksar and Sani Aboubacar of the weekly L’Evénement have been given three-month suspended prison sentences. They were arrested on 12 November following the publication on 29 September of articles about mismanagement of the Niger power company Nigelec and fraudulent hiring of family members.

  In Nigeria, the publisher and editorial managers, Abraham Ndah Isaiah, Sam Ndah-Isaiah, Abdulrazaq Bello-Bakindo and Lara Olugbemi, of the private daily Leadership have faced a series of harassments from the police and State Security Service (SSS) after publishing a story about the alleged ill health of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. On 17 November Abdulrazaq Bello-Bakindo and Lara Olugbemi reported to the SSS office and were detained.

  In Algeria, journalist Hassan Bourras was sentenced to two months in prison by an appeal court in addition to the fine of 40,000 dinars (460 euros) he originally received. He was charged with libel and attacking state institutions in connection with an article published two years ago in the Arabic-language daily Al-Bilad in which he criticised the municipal government of El-Bayadh.

  In Somalia, the Puntland police shut down radio Radio Galkayo and arrested the station director, Hassan Mohammed Jama, on orders of the Puntland president, General Adde Muse. The radio had aired a report about the president’s visit to Galkayo, claiming that it was for his upcoming election campaign for another term in office and reported that he had received weapons from abroad at the Galkayo Airport.

Sources of the Alerts

  Media Institute for Southern Africa (MISA)
  Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
  Media Rights Agenda (MRA)
  National Union for Somali Journalists (NUSOJ)