840 cases in Comoros

Comoros is an island country in the Indian Ocean located on the eastern coast of Africa with estimated over 795 000 populations. Most of the populations is Sunni Islamic. The biggest city and capital is Moroni. However, the state of media freedom is worrying.

Comoros ranked at 75 place in 2020 dropping from position 56 out of 180 in the 2019 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders. The worsening press freedom is attributed to the political tension that followed the 2018 constitutional referendum and the re-election of President Azali Assoumani in 2019 which escalated pressure on media freedom. Journalists continue to endure intimidation, physical attacks, arbitrary arrests and suspension and censorship. Some have been forced to flee abroad for safety reasons. Although the 2001 constitution, which was amended in 2018, guarantees media freedom, journalists have adopted self-censorship to avoid the heavy penalties for defamation. Journalists suffer above all from a lack of resources and training, and have found it hard to organize according to global media monitors.