Tanzanian Newspaper Suspended For ‘Insulting President’

News Update|

An independent Tanzanian newspaper has been suspended for two years, a government spokesman said on Tuesday, accusing the publication of sedition and endangering national security.

The critical Mwanahalisi newspaper was shut after publishing a letter on Monday from a reader containing “insults” against President John Magufuli and his government, said spokesman Hassan Abbasi.

Abbasi said the paper had received several warnings.…

UPDATE: Maxence Melo Charged with Obstruction of Investigations and Operating a Domain Not Registered in Tanzania

Jamii Forums Founder, Maxence Melo has been charged with three offences before a court in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The charges are:

1: Management of a domain not registered in Tanzania under Section 79(c) of the Electronic and Postal Communications Act (2010).

2: Obstruction of investigations under Section 22 (2) of the Cyber Crimes Act  of 2015 for not complying with an…

South Africa Bill Threatens Internet Freedom

South Africa’s Cybercrimes And Cybersecurity Bill (2014) has been met with apprehension among civil society due to its vague definitions, its limited safeguards for access to information and freedom of expression. In many ways, it resonates with the equally stifling Draft Online Regulation Policy gazetted in March 2015, which contains clauses that have the potential of blocking online content including as…