freedom

No democracy without a free press: Somalia’s fragile transition under threat On the International Day of Democracy this year, Somalia’s journalists — battered, detained and censored — were given a blunt reminder of what is at stake. The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) recorded 59 incidents of assaults on media freedom across the country in 2025 alone, and warned that Somalia’s long-promised democratic transition will be hollow if those who inform the public cannot work without fear. That message should…

In a significant move, Resolute Mining, an Australian-based company, has agreed to pay a hefty sum of $160 million to the Malian government in a bid to settle an ongoing tax dispute. This decision comes on the heels of a troubling incident where Mali's authorities detained the company’s CEO, Terence Holohan, along with two other staff members during their trip to Bamako for what was supposed to be routine negotiations with the current regime. As tensions rise, the spotlight on foreign mining operations in Mali grows ever…

A federal court has dismissed treason charges against numerous minors who were apprehended amid recent nationwide protests fueled by escalating living costs and discontent with the government. President Bola Tinubu had previously mandated their release after several young demonstrators collapsed during their court proceedings, a situation that drew sharp criticism from human rights organizations such as Amnesty International. In Nigeria, treason carries severe penalties, potentially culminating in the death penalty. "Any…

Hargeisa (AX) — The Supreme Court of North Western State of Somalia has mandated the speedy liberation of lawmaker Mohamed Abiib Yusuf, condemning his detention as unlawful. On Monday, the court announced that Yusuf should be freed from Madera prison today, instructing the Commander of the Custodial Corps to comply. Assemblyman Yusuf's arrest defied the law, according to the court, which pointed out that the North Western State of Somalia House of Representatives had overwhelmingly refused to strip away his parliamentary…

With the presidential election in Tunisia approaching in October, there’s a palpable tightening of the reins on dissent, particularly within the media, warns Bassam Khawaja, Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Human Rights Watch. He pointed out that at least five journalists find themselves incarcerated, simply for expressing their viewpoints. “This crackdown is systematically erasing criticism and stifling diverse opinions across Tunisia’s media landscape,” Khawaja noted. He elaborated that meaningful…

South Africa celebrates 150th anniversary of Charlotte Maxeke's birth. Born 1871 and died 1939. She is sometimes considered "the mother of black freedom". This woman fought to defend minorities in the early 20th century. She was one of the founding members of the current presidential party, the ANC, at a congress in 1912. While the struggle against apartheid between 1949 and 1994 dominated the national…

In the very conservative and religious community of northern Nigeria, words are gradually emerging about sexual violence. The fear of stigma is still very strong and drives many victims to shut up, but society is starting to change. From our special correspondent in Kano,It was during his community service at the Kano State…

This week, the RFI offers you a series of four reports on the unprecedented ceasefire agreement reached on March 14 over a one-month period between the jihadists in Katiba Macina, linked to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, and the Dozo fighters who met they try to protect certain villages, especially Farabougou, in the district of Nionos (region Ségou). The Malian state, which mandated the negotiators,…

The US added Nigeria on Monday (December 8) to its record of nations "of explicit curiosity" when it comes to spiritual freedom, thought-about "the primary freedom" by the pinnacle of US diplomacy Mike Pompeo. "US assist for spiritual freedom is unwavering," he mentioned on Twitter. "The annual blacklist exhibits that when…

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the situation of journalists has not improved in this second year of the presidency of Felix Tshisekedi. The organization Journalist in Danger (JED) has counted 116 attacks on press freedom and journalists' safety, including one death, one disappearance, some forty arrests or arrests, and several threats and assaults. A significant increase from the 85 cases…