Civic and political rights are slipping in several of the 49 countries in Africa, according to a new report by the CIVICUS Monitor, a global research collaboration that rates and tracks respect for fundamental freedoms in 196 countries.

The report, People Power Under Attack 2020, also shows that basic freedoms are backsliding across the globe: 87 per cent of the world’s population now live in closed, repressed or obstructed countries. 

The report says the vast majority of countries in Africa, continue to restrict civic freedoms with six countries rated ‘closed’, 21 ‘repressed’ and 14 ‘obstructed’.

Sankulleh Janko reports.