TBIJ recommends: Fearless African journalists given new voice

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Al Jazeera has launched a new series to promote hard-hitting African investigative journalism by Africa’s best journalists. Africa Investigates will specifically use the expertise and inside knowledge of local journalists to shed light on stories from the continent that are too often ignored by the international media. In the first of the series, veteran African journalist Sorious Samura, describes how he was arrested and tortured for covering a story about Charles Taylor, Liberia’s then dictator. His experience is all too common for African journalists attempting to shed light on abuses of power. As the channel states: ‘Investigative journalism is a perilous profession in many African nations, where intimidation, beatings, imprisonment and death threats can be an occupational hazard. ‘As a result they have often had to sit idly by while Africa’s story has been told by Western correspondents, “parachuted in” for the purpose, who reinforce stereotypical views about African peoples and their supposed inability to face up to and solve their own problems.’ Africa Investigates will give African journalists a major platform to hold to account those responsible for the corruption undermining their continent. Read full details of the new series here. Copyright 2011 by The Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ). All worldwide rights reserved.