Eritrean constitution guarantees freedoms of speech and press, however, the country has been ranked as one of the worst countries in terms of freedom of the press. In the last couple of decades, the government led by Isaias Afwerki has taken drastic measures towards limiting the press’s freedom.
Eritrea has remained at position 178 out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index by RSF. Independent media remain shut by government since 2001. Eritrea has no independent media and the handful of media outlets that exist have no alternative but to relay government propaganda. It is even hard to find credible news reports online. The Internet penetration rate is one of the lowest in the world at 1 percent of the population and Eritreans are closely watched. In Internet cafés, they have to show ID before being allowed to go online, according to IFEX. Several organisations are said provide coverage to the Eritrean from outside the country. Various reports from media freedom monitors say that at least 16 Eritrean journalists are behind bars, which makes the Eritrea government the worst jailer of journalists and media workers in the Sub-Saharan Africa. The country laws require journalism that support “national objectives” The government employs tactics from imprisonment and repressive laws to surveillance of journalists and restrictions on internet and social media access according to CPJ.
