The African Union Commission (AUC) and the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) have called on African governments to strengthen protections for journalists and ensure that those responsible for crimes against media workers are brought to justice.

In a joint statement marking the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists on November 2, the two organisations warned that journalists across Africa continue to face killings, physical attacks, arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, intimidation, legal harassment and digital abuse.

The statement, issued by Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, the AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, and FAJ President Omar Faruk Osman, emphasised that attacks on journalists undermine freedom of expression and the public's right to access information.

This year's global focus, “Threats evolve. Impunity endures,” highlights the changing risks journalists face from emerging technologies and evolving weapons, particularly in conflict zones, while perpetrators frequently evade accountability.

The organisations also raised concern over gender-based threats against female journalists, including harassment and online violence, and the risks faced by reporters covering elections, corruption and human rights violations.

They warned that impunity emboldens perpetrators, silences public-interest reporting and denies communities the information they need to participate in public life and exercise their democratic rights.

Call for stronger national mechanisms

The AU Commission and FAJ urged member states to fulfil their obligations under African and international human rights law by taking concrete measures to prevent attacks against journalists and end impunity.

They called on governments to establish or strengthen national mechanisms for journalists' safety, ensure law enforcement agencies respect the role of the media, and protect journalists covering protests, elections, emergencies and armed conflicts.

The statement further cautioned against using laws to intimidate journalists, obstruct legitimate reporting or restrict responsible freedom of expression.

Governments were also urged to address digital threats, including surveillance, harassment and technology-facilitated gender-based violence, while protecting human rights and freedom of expression.

Cooperation and accountability

The two organisations called for stronger cooperation among public authorities, regional and continental institutions, media organisations, journalists' unions and civil society.

They emphasised that journalists and their representative organisations must be meaningfully involved in developing and monitoring safety measures, including through peer review to promote the responsible exercise of freedom of expression.

The statement reaffirmed the importance of independent media to peace, democracy, accountability and people-centred development under the African Union's Agenda 2063.

It concluded that ending impunity is essential to protecting human rights, strengthening democratic governance and building peaceful societies across Africa, with every journalist able to report without fear of violence or reprisal.

The International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists is observed annually on November 2.