In a sobering address to the Africa Check Awards ceremony held in Accra recently, prominent Ghanaian journalist and Vice President of The African Editors Forum (TAEF), Emmanuel K. Dogbevi warned of the alarming decline in press freedom across the African continent, urging the international community to take decisive action to safeguard the safety and independence of journalists.

Mr. Dogbevi, the Executive Director of NewsBridge Africa and Managing Editor of Ghana Business News, delivered a powerful and impassioned speech before a gathering of distinguished media professionals and fact-checkers from across Africa. He began by extending warm greetings from Churchill Otieno, the President of TAEF, underscoring the deep connections and solidarity within the African journalism community.

Drawing on his over two decades of experience in the field of journalism, Mr. Dogbevi reflected on the contrasting fortunes of the continent, recalling the optimism that had surrounded the Economist magazine’s “Africa Rising” cover in 2011. He acknowledged that while Africa had made some progress, the democratic and economic trajectories envisioned at the time had not materialized to the extent expected.

“Today, as you gather in Accra to share ideas, discuss your remarkable works and debate issues on misinformation and disinformation, you must be doing so with a heavy heart even as I do, standing before you,” he said. “Because the democratic atmosphere and economic trajectory that The Economist saw when it made that bold declaration have all whittled away.”

Painting a grim picture of the current state of affairs, Mr. Dogbevi highlighted the decline of democracy in many African countries, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. He noted the growing public debt crisis, with 21 African countries currently at high risk of debt distress and the continent expected to pay $163 billion in interest on loans this year alone.

Turning his attention to the challenges facing journalists, Mr. Dogbevi expressed deep concern over the deteriorating environment for press freedom. He cited the unresolved cases of slain journalists, such as Cameroonian radio journalist Martinez Zogo and Ahmed Hussein-Suale in Ghana, as well as the alarming number of journalists currently imprisoned across the continent, mostly for reporting on corruption.

“Many African countries have passed cyber and communication laws that have been used to arrest and detain journalists. There are some 67 journalists in jail around Africa, and they were mostly reporting corruption,” Mr. Dogbevi lamented.

The journalist highlighted the particularly dire situation in the Sahel region, where the military takeovers in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have severely curtailed the freedom of journalists to operate, with some going missing.

Mr. Dogbevi emphasized that the role of independent journalism in holding power to account, exposing corruption, and bringing hidden facts to light is crucial for the survival of democracy. However, he acknowledged the growing challenges facing journalists, including declining advertising revenues, the rise of AI, and a perceived lack of public interest in high-impact, high-quality news.

“The question then is: should the journalist serve the public interest or what the public is interested in? What the public wants might not necessarily serve its interest,” Mr. Dogbevi said, urging journalists to remain innovative while upholding the fundamental principles and ethics of the profession.

Addressing the escalating attacks on journalists, Mr. Dogbevi made a bold proposal: the establishment of a special United Nations court to try crimes against journalists, modeled after the Special Court for Sierra Leone and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

“Journalists groupings around the world must join forces and table this demand before the international community,” Mr. Dogbevi asserted. “A special UN court for crimes against journalists has the potential to curtail impunity against journalists.”

His call for a dedicated international court to protect journalists reflects the dire need to address the growing threats they face, including arbitrary arrests, detention, torture, and even murder. The proposed court would serve as a mechanism to hold perpetrators accountable and deter future attacks on media professionals.

In his concluding remarks, the TAEF Vice President emphasized the vital role of independent journalism in preserving society and spurring economic growth. However, he stressed that for this to be possible, citizens must step up to defend, protect, and support journalists, who must also stand united in their pursuit of the truth.

“Independent journalism is necessary in not only oiling the wheels of our democracy, it is also what would preserve our society and spur economic growth,” Mr. Dogbevi said. “But independent journalism can only survive and thrive to serve its role if citizens step up to defend, protect and support those who practice it. But more importantly, when journalists stand together as one in pursuit of the facts.”

The powerful speech by Mr. Dogbevi has undoubtedly resonated with the attendees of the Africa Check Awards, underscoring the urgent need to address the mounting challenges faced by journalists across the continent. As the international community grapples with the erosion of press freedom, Dogbevi’s call for a dedicated UN court to protect journalists has the potential to galvanize global action in defense of this vital pillar of democracy.

 

Source: Innocent Samuel Appiah

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