Media freedom is limited in Senegal, leading to concerns. Media has been facing its darkest times for several years. According to multiple sources including the BBC and CNN, years of attacks on media freedom led to protests last month. Though the government — formed after the 2024 Presidential Election — says it has carried out the media crackdown justifying it as an attempt to address the practices of financial embezzlement and mismanagement in the media industry, protesters say that the new government is shrinking media freedom, which was already shrunk by the previous government. Pertinently saying, Senegal slipped from 49th to 94th place in media from 2021 to 2024 as per the World Press Freedom Index of Reporters Without Borders.
It is notable that there are various reasons for limited media freedom in Senegal, which enjoyed a relatively high level of press freedom in the last several decades driven by several causes including stable multiparty politics and a reasonably independent judiciary and served as a model for other countries in Africa especially in West Africa, in the last several years. The government’s intention to control media and its expression of views and information dissemination and suppress dissenting voices has played a vital role in restricting media freedom especially since 2021. Though the government most often justifies media restrictions by saying their importance for maintaining social stability and preventing the spread of misinformation and violence or unrest within the country, it mostly reflects the government’s intention to control media.
The government of Senegal restricts media freedom through censorship and other steps. The imposition of censorship over media content and the use of media freedom restrictive laws and regulations and the tactic of intimidating media organizations and journalists have increased in Senegal to restrict media freedom. Additionally, and importantly, the Senegalese government freezes the bank accounts of media companies and seizes their equipment over alleged non-payment of taxes in its efforts to suppress media freedom. Among others, the arbitrary arrests and harassment of journalists, media closures and arbitrary Internet shutdowns often take place to restrict media freedom in Senegal. Notably, the National Audiovisual Regulatory Council has suspended the operations of Walf Television multiple times in recent years.
The government of Senegal has taken different steps to address the concerns regarding media freedom restrictions. Article 10 of the Senegalese Constitution of 2001 and laws provide for freedom of expression for everyone including the members of the press and other media. But there are no remarkable measures, except the government’s promises to address the concerns, regarding the deterioration of recent media freedom in Senegal. There remains a lack of political will to provide media freedom and end repression and a failure to effectively engage with media stakeholders such as journalists and media organizations to address their concerns — despite the government’s promises.
The concerns of protesters need to be addressed to provide media freedom and improve the ability of diverse media outlets to report and express views on important economic, political and other issues in Senegal. Implementing measures for the protection of media and journalists and engaging media stakeholders in addressing their concerns can be helpful in promoting media freedom. But the arbitrary closure of media and arrests and harassment related to media need to be ended.
Amir M Sayem
Chief Editor
Dhaka Opinion Magazine
