Under Duress: Journalism in Authoritarian Contexts

This executive summary describes a roundtable discussion involving 42 journalists, scholars, and civil society representatives focused on the challenges of journalism in authoritarian contexts across Africa. The report examines the nature of intimidation, newsroom dynamics, psychological impacts, and coping strategies used by reporters facing state pressure.

• Journalism in Africa is facing increasing pressure from governments that are becoming more authoritarian and less tolerant of the profession's role as a watchdog over state power.
• Pressures on journalists manifest in various forms, ranging from physical risks and targeting during reports on conflict to economic precarity, the framing of journalism as a national security issue, reduced donor support, and pressure to produce 'developmental' journalism.
• The roundtable discussion, which included 17 investigative reporters from seven African countries, focused on four primary themes: the nature of pressures and intimidation, how these pressures affect different newsroom roles, the psychological and emotional consequences of such work, and the strategies journalists use to respond.
• Due to the high physical risk faced by participants, the event employed strict security measures, including keeping the date, location, and participant list secret, avoiding recordings, and delaying the report's release to protect identities.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2026). Under Duress: Journalism in Authoritarian Contexts. https://saiia.org.za/research/under-duress-journalism-in-authoritarian-contexts/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Under Duress: Journalism in Authoritarian Contexts. 2026. https://saiia.org.za/research/under-duress-journalism-in-authoritarian-contexts/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Under Duress: Journalism in Authoritarian Contexts |date=18 May 2026 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/under-duress-journalism-in-authoritarian-contexts/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2026under, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Under Duress: Journalism in Authoritarian Contexts}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2026}, month = may, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/under-duress-journalism-in-authoritarian-contexts/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }