The protection and safety of journalists continues to be a pressing issue across the continent. Within weeks of celebrating World Press Freedom Day commemorated on May 3, a number of cases of threats and attacks on journalists had already been reported across the continent, in several countries including Senegal, Kenya, Egypt, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Morocco.
Journalists continue to be harassed and repressive laws which stifle free speech continue to be enacted and maintained across Africa. Hamid al-Mahdaoui, the editor of the news website Badil in Morocco was recently questioned for six hours, and faces a criminal defamation charge. Indeed, these cases do not make for a good reading especially coming against the backdrop of the recently held World Press Freedom Day.
These blatant threats against journalists as well as other overt practices are indeed a blight on freedom of the press and the media.
