PEN SA Africa Pulse #19

PEN SA Africa Pulse is a weekly round-up of news concerning cases of freedom of expression and the freedom of the press in Africa.

Sudan court fines award-winning journalist

Amal Khalifa Habani, an award-winning journalist and prominent activist, was sentenced by a Sudanese court to a fine of 10,000 Sudanese Pound (US$1,499) or serve four months in jail on the charge of obstructing public officials. Habani, winner of an Amnesty International Prize for reporting on human rights in Sudan, refused to pay the fine and chose to serve the jail term despite offers by other activists to pay for her release, her husband has said.
News24

South Sudan security arrest SSBC boss in Juba

South Sudan’s National Security Service arrested the Director of state-run South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC), Adil Faris Mayat on 10 July. Mayat was arrested for allegedly failing to broadcast President Kiir’s state of the nation address live on SSBC on the occasion of the sixth independence anniversary on Sunday.
Radio Tamazuj

Contentious media tribunal still on the cards

With the #GuptaLeaks demanding our undivided attention, other developments have slipped out of our everyday conversations, one of which is the media tribunal. It appears that the African National Congress (ANC) is still pushing for the media appeals tribunal albeit not as emphatically as it did before.
News24

Two days, two interdicts: Black First Land First flouts both

On 7 July, the high court in Johannesburg granted the second order in two days to interdict Black First Land First (BLF) from threatening journalists with violence and intimidation. BLF defied the order as it had done a separate interdict against it on Thursday.
Mail and Guardian