Dear Friends,

The situation of the media is very worrying in Niger, one month after the military coup there. Mobilised by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), African media professionals have issued a joint appeal to Niger’s military junta, the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP), to respect press freedom.

Since 26 July, the date of the coup, local and international journalists have been physically attacked and harassed online and media have been suspended. Media freedom and pluralism are being directly targeted. The right to inform and be informed must not be called into question in Niger at a time of political turmoil.

Journalists and press freedom organisations across Africa, from Niamey to Djibouti and from N’Djamena to Antananarivo, came together to call on Niger’s junta to respect the fundamental right to reliable and pluralistic media reporting, and to not obstruct journalists’ work.

We need your support in order to be able to continue our fight, alongside independent journalists on the ground, to preserve the freedom to report the news in this crisis-torn region.