In the News: it is sometimes difficult to be a journalist in Africa ...

Audio 04:34

By: Frédéric Couteau Follow

Publicity

A black banner bars the top of the page of the Burundian news site Iwacu , with these two scrolling information continuously: "  our journalist Jean Bigirimana disappeared since 1384 days  " and "  Our journalists Christine, Agnès, Térence and Egide have been detained since 197 days.  "

It has been almost four years since Jean Bigirimana disappeared in Bugarama in the center of the country, at the height of the repression following the challenge to President Pierre Nkurunziza's decision to run for a third term in 2015. According to several witnesses, he was last seen at the hands of agents of the National Intelligence Service. Since then, no news. And the Burundian authorities show no willingness to advance the investigation.

In prison for wanting to do their job ...

Another case, that of the 4 journalists of this same news site, therefore, Iwacu . They have been in prison since last October. They had been arrested in Bubanza while preparing to cover clashes between the army and a rebel group. Their wrong? “  Having wanted to do what good professionals do as far as possible , exclaims Iwacu: go to the field, observe, question, collect testimonies, cross-check, in order to give the most complete information possible. They did not have time. They were arrested on arrival and have been in the jails of Bubanza prison since then. Iwacu appealed against their sentencing to two and a half years in prison. This Wednesday, they are again before the judges. Our wish, says Iwacu, is that, this time, the judges say the law. Our four colleagues went to Bubanza to exercise a right recognized by the Constitution of Burundi: the right to information. Besides, all the investigations carried out since then have never been able to demonstrate another 'crime'. We await this appearance with serenity and hope. At the time when Burundi is in the middle of an electoral campaign, this trial is a good barometer of the respect of two fundamental values ​​in a democracy: freedom of the press and fair justice.  "

Bullying ?

Another country, another case, that of Ignace Sossou ... This Beninese journalist was sentenced last December at first instance to 18 months in prison for "harassment", following a complaint by the public prosecutor. Ignace Sossou had in fact reported on social networks extracts from what the same prosecutor said during a workshop on the media and false information. Extracts taken out of context, according to the complainant. Yesterday Tuesday, May 5, on appeal, 12 months in prison were required against the journalist and his lawyers asked for his release. The judgment was reserved for May 19.

Comment from the Benouto news site Banouto : “  The positions seem to be clear cut between the defense, the civil party and the public prosecutor. But which side will the Court take? Hard to say. The only thing media players hope for is the release of the journalist.  "

"We no longer recognize Benin! "

"  Free Ignace Sossou!" "Exclaims for its part WakatSéra Burkina Faso. "  Could the unfortunate message, incriminated because the prosecutor's remarks were taken out of context, lead a journalist who was only doing his job to inform in prison? No, can we answer without fear of getting lost. The place of a journalist is not behind bars, continues the Burkinabé site, but well in the newsrooms to make people enjoy their sacred right to healthy and fair information, according to the ethics and deontology of the profession. And that, the Beninese leaders must take into account, them whose country has just experienced a new plunge in the ranking of press freedom published by Reporters Without Borders, falling from 96th place in 2019 to 113th place in 2020.  "

The Observer Paalga , still in Burkina, does not hesitate to scratch the Beninese authorities: "  we no longer recognize Benin, exclaims the newspaper. This affair would have happened in these 'democracies' which continue to exist in Africa that it would not surprise many people. But not here. Not in what was considered the 'Latin Quarter' of Africa. Not in what has been called the laboratory of democracy in Africa, which was the first to organize a sovereign national conference. (...) Certainly, concludes L'Observateur Paalga, Benin is no longer the same . "

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