# Africa

Government actions against journalists in Africa

The number of entries reflects the depth of this record, not the severity of a country's conduct.

## Countries

- [Egypt](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/eg) ([RSF 2026 rank: 169th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index))
- [Ethiopia](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/et) ([RSF 2026 rank: 148th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index))
- [Nigeria](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/ng) ([RSF 2026 rank: 112th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index))
- [South Africa](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/za) ([RSF 2026 rank: 21st of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index))
- [Tanzania](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/tz) ([RSF 2026 rank: 117th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index))
- [Tunisia](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/tn) ([RSF 2026 rank: 137th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index))
- [Zimbabwe](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/zw) ([RSF 2026 rank: 124th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index))

## Tactics used

- [Access bans](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents?continent=africa&tactic=access_ban), ladder: https://thewaronnews.com/ladders/access_ban?continent=africa
- [Licensing and closure of outlets](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents?continent=africa&tactic=outlet_licensing), ladder: https://thewaronnews.com/ladders/outlet_licensing?continent=africa
- [Prior restraint](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents?continent=africa&tactic=prior_restraint), ladder: https://thewaronnews.com/ladders/prior_restraint?continent=africa
- [Secrets and espionage laws](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents?continent=africa&tactic=secrets_and_espionage_laws), ladder: https://thewaronnews.com/ladders/secrets_and_espionage_laws?continent=africa
- [Insult and defamation laws](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents?continent=africa&tactic=insult_and_defamation_laws), ladder: https://thewaronnews.com/ladders/insult_and_defamation_laws?continent=africa
- [Funding and ownership pressure](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents?continent=africa&tactic=funding_and_ownership_pressure), ladder: https://thewaronnews.com/ladders/funding_and_ownership_pressure?continent=africa
- [Shutdowns and blocking](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents?continent=africa&tactic=shutdowns_and_blocking), ladder: https://thewaronnews.com/ladders/shutdowns_and_blocking?continent=africa
- [Detention and violence](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents?continent=africa&tactic=detention_and_violence), ladder: https://thewaronnews.com/ladders/detention_and_violence?continent=africa

## Incidents

| Date | Incident | Country | Tactic | Head of government | Outcome |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| October 29, 2025 | [Tanzania shuts down internet access on election day amid unrest](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2025-tanzania-internet-shutdown-election-day) | [Tanzania](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/tz) ([RSF 2026 rank: 117th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Shutdowns and blocking](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/shutdowns_and_blocking) | [Samia Suluhu Hassan](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/samia-suluhu-hassan) | Unknown |
| September 3, 2025 | [Ethiopia arrests at least six journalists including Sheger FM staff over election-year coverage](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2025-ethiopia-arrests-journalists-sheger-fm) | [Ethiopia](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/et) ([RSF 2026 rank: 148th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Detention and violence](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/detention_and_violence) | [Abiy Ahmed](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/abiy-ahmed) | Ongoing (September 22, 2025) |
| January 16, 2025 | [Tunisia's cybercrime decree pushes jailed-journalist count to highest since 1992](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2025-tunisia-record-journalists-jailed-decree-54) | [Tunisia](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/tn) ([RSF 2026 rank: 137th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Insult and defamation laws](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/insult_and_defamation_laws) | [Kais Saied](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/kais-saied) | Sustained |
| July 14, 2023 | [Zimbabwe's Patriotic Act criminalizes journalists' contact with foreign governments](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2023-zimbabwe-patriotic-act-criminalizes-foreign-contact) | [Zimbabwe](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/zw) ([RSF 2026 rank: 124th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Secrets and espionage laws](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/secrets_and_espionage_laws) | [Emmerson Mnangagwa](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/emmerson-mnangagwa) | Sustained (July 14, 2023) |
| March 16, 2018 | [Tanzania requires bloggers and online publishers to register and pay an annual government fee](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2018-tanzania-online-content-regulations) | [Tanzania](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/tz) ([RSF 2026 rank: 117th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Licensing and closure of outlets](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/outlet_licensing) | [John Magufuli](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/john-magufuli) | Unknown (April 12, 2018) |
| December 29, 2013 | [Egypt arrests and later convicts three Al Jazeera journalists on terrorism-related charges](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2013-egypt-al-jazeera-journalists-jailed) | [Egypt](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/eg) ([RSF 2026 rank: 169th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Detention and violence](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/detention_and_violence) | [Adly Mansour](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/adly-mansour) | Reversed (September 23, 2015) |
| March 15, 2002 | [Zimbabwe enacts a law requiring all journalists and media houses to hold government licenses](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2002-zimbabwe-aippa-media-licensing) | [Zimbabwe](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/zw) ([RSF 2026 rank: 124th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Licensing and closure of outlets](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/outlet_licensing) | [Robert Mugabe](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/robert-mugabe) | Unknown |
| July 1995 | [Nigeria's military government convicts journalists by special tribunal over coup-plot reporting](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/1995-nigeria-abacha-journalists-tribunal) | [Nigeria](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/ng) ([RSF 2026 rank: 112th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Detention and violence](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/detention_and_violence) | [Sani Abacha](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/sani-abacha) | Reversed (June 15, 1998) |
| November 2, 1985 | [South Africa bans television and photographic coverage of unrest under a state of emergency](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/1985-south-africa-state-of-emergency-media-ban) | [South Africa](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/za) ([RSF 2026 rank: 21st of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Shutdowns and blocking](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/shutdowns_and_blocking) | [P. W. Botha](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/p-w-botha) | Reversed (June 1, 1990) |
| May 24, 1960 | [Egypt's Nasser government nationalizes every newspaper and magazine in the country](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/1960-egypt-nasser-nationalizes-press) | [Egypt](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/eg) ([RSF 2026 rank: 169th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Funding and ownership pressure](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/funding_and_ownership_pressure) | [Gamal Abdel Nasser](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/gamal-abdel-nasser) | Ongoing (January 1, 1989) |
| March 17, 1950 | [South Africa's Suppression of Communism Act lets the government ban publications and restrict individuals](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/1950-south-africa-suppression-of-communism-act) | [South Africa](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/za) ([RSF 2026 rank: 21st of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Prior restraint](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/prior_restraint) | [Daniel François Malan](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/daniel-francois-malan) | Reversed (February 2, 1990) |

Ladders: https://thewaronnews.com/ladders

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- CSV: https://thewaronnews.com/continents/africa?format=csv
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Source page: https://thewaronnews.com/continents/africa. The War On News, CC BY 4.0.