Burundi / Africa

  
Journalist Florianne Irangabiye photographed on August 16, 2024, outside Bubanza Prison holding a certificate authorizing her release. (Photo: Credit withheld)

Burundian journalist Floriane Irangabiye released after two years in prison

Kampala, August 16, 2024— The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release of Burundian online journalist Florianne Irangabiye, who has served two years of a 10-year prison sentence, following a presidential pardon.  “Floriane Irangabiye’s imprisonment was deeply unjust, and it is a great relief that she has finally been freed after two years behind bars,” said CPJ…

Read More ›

After two of its reporters were attacked, Iwacu Press Group received a warning letter June 6 from Burundi’s media regulator CNC, accusing the outlet of professional failings in recent political reporting. (Screenshot: YouTube: CPJ/Iwacu Press Group)

Burundi regulator warns Iwacu Press Group after police assault 2 of outlet’s journalists

Kampala, Uganda, June 17, 2024—Burundian authorities must desist from intimidating the independent news outlet Iwacu Press Group and swiftly investigate recent police attacks on two of the outlet’s journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. Iwacu received a letter on June 6 from Burundi’s media regulator, known by its French acronym CNC, accusing the…

Read More ›

CPJ joins renewed call for release of Burundi journalist Floriane Irangabiye after 1 year in prison

Nairobi, August 30, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists, Amnesty International, the Burundi Human Rights Initiative, and Human Rights Watch on Wednesday, August 30, renewed their call for Burundian authorities to unconditionally release journalist Floriane Irangabiye, who has been detained for a year. Irangabiye was arrested on August 30, 2022, and is serving a 10-year prison…

Read More ›

Burundian journalist Floriane Irangabiye’s health deteriorating in prison

Nairobi, July 25, 2023 – In response to news reports that Burundian journalist Floriane Irangabiye is suffering respiratory distress and her health has deteriorated behind bars, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “Imprisoned Burundian journalist Floriane Irangabiye’s worsening health is alarming, and authorities have demonstrated negligence in their failure to ensure that…

Read More ›

Burundian appeals court upholds 10-year prison term for journalist Floriane Irangabiye

Nairobi, May 2, 2023—In response to media reports that a Burundian appeals court on Tuesday upheld the conviction of journalist Floriane Irangabiye, who is serving a 10-year prison term, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “Coming on the eve of World Press Freedom Day, a Burundi court’s decision to uphold Floriane Irangabiye’s…

Read More ›

Burundian journalist Floriane Irangabiye sentenced to 10 years in prison

Nairobi, January 20, 2023 – Burundian authorities must not contest the appeal of journalist Floriane Irangabiye and ensure that members of the press are not imprisoned for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On January 2, the Mukaza High Court in Bujumbura, the capital, convicted Irangabiye of undermining the integrity of the…

Read More ›

Burundian journalist Floriane Irangabiye detained for over two months without formal charge

Nairobi, November 4, 2022—The Committee to Protect Journalists on Friday called for the immediate and unconditional release of Burundian journalist Floriane Irangabiye, who has been detained for over two months without being formally charged. Irangabiye is a commentator and debate program host on Radio Igicaniro, a Rwanda-based outlet that publishes critical commentary and debate on…

Read More ›

How China’s Huawei technology is being used to censor news halfway across the world

When a staffer at the independent media website Iwacu in the central African state of Burundi tried to visit the outlet online in late October, they received an error message instead. “Hum. Nous ne parvenons pas à trouver ce site;” the site could not be found  – even though the local media regulator had promised…

Read More ›

When Burundian journalist Jean Bigirimana disappeared, his colleagues tried to solve the case

Five years ago, Abbas Mbazumutima led a team of journalists from the independent Burundian news outlet Iwacu in investigating a story no reporter should ever have to write — about the July 22, 2016 disappearance of their colleague, reporter Jean Bigirimana, who went missing shortly after receiving a call from an intelligence source. The Iwacu…

Read More ›

CPJ calls on Burundi government to let all news outlets operate without conditions

Nairobi July 8, 2021— In light of Burundi’s decision to lift bans on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and pro-government news site Ikiriho, the Committee to Protect Journalists called on the country to reinstate all banned media outlets. CPJ also expressed alarm at the conditions the U.S. Congress-funded Voice of America (VOA) said were placed…

Read More ›