The record
Incidents in Africa, outcome ongoing
Each incident is a dated action by a government, an official, a regulator, a court or a legislature that limited journalists' ability to gather or publish news.
The number of entries reflects the depth of this record, not the severity of a country's conduct.
All filters: country, dates, head of government, sort
ContinentAfrica
TacticDetention and violence 2Licensing and closure of outlets 2Shutdowns and blocking 1Prior restraint 1Funding and ownership pressure 1
OutcomeOngoing 5
| Date | Incident | Country | Tactic | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 September 2025 | Ethiopia arrests at least six journalists including Sheger FM staff over election-year coverage | Ethiopia (RSF 2026 rank: 148th of 180) | Detention and violence | Abiy Ahmed | Ongoing (22 September 2025) |
| November 2020 | Ethiopia: internet and phone service cut across Tigray | Ethiopia (RSF 2026 rank: 148th of 180) | Shutdowns and blocking | Abiy Ahmed | Ongoing (3 May 2021) |
| October 2018 | Egypt: a license requirement leaves an independent news site unable to operate legally for years | Egypt (RSF 2026 rank: 169th of 180) | Prior restraint | Abdel Fattah el-Sisi | Ongoing (26 October 2020) |
| 18 September 2001 | Eritrea: independent press closed and journalists jailed without trial | Eritrea (RSF rank: not recorded) | Detention and violence | Isaias Afwerki | Ongoing |
| 24 May 1960 | Egypt's Nasser government nationalizes every newspaper and magazine in the country | Egypt (RSF 2026 rank: 169th of 180) | Funding and ownership pressure | Gamal Abdel Nasser | Ongoing (1 January 1989) |
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