On February 20, a court issued an injunction suspending the ordinary congress of the National Union of Ivorian Journalists (UNJCI), originally scheduled to renew its governing bodies. The union immediately filed an appeal to challenge the ruling.
With the statutory deadline for the existing leadership set to expire on February 26, an extraordinary congress was hastily convened on February 25. Delegates, following the organization’s internal rules, voted overwhelmingly to extend the mandates until the regularly scheduled congress could proceed without disruption.
Tensions flared following the vote, underscoring the high stakes of the situation.
Jean Claude Coulibaly, President of the UNJCI, stated: «We respected the court’s decision while pursuing an appeal, but we refused to allow a legal void that could destabilize our organization. The mandate extension approved by the extraordinary congress is a necessary step to preserve continuity and institutional integrity. The UNJCI is the collective home of Ivorian journalists and must remain autonomous, without external interference.»
Omar Faruk Osman, President of the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), condemned the move: «Blocking a union from convening to elect new leadership and then exploiting the situation to create an institutional vacuum is a blatant violation of press freedom. This directly contradicts Côte d’Ivoire’s commitments to African and international labor standards. No political entity should dictate the leadership of a journalists’ organization.»
Anthony Bellanger, General Secretary of the International Federation of Journalists (FIJ), emphasized the severity of the situation: «This is a clear breach of the right to freedom of association and an unacceptable interference in the internal affairs of a trade union. The FIJ and FAJ will take this matter to international and African bodies, including the International Labour Organization, to file an official complaint against the Ivorian government for these violations. The autonomy of unions is a fundamental right under international law and cannot be compromised.»
The FIJ and FAJ are urging Ivorian authorities to uphold the independence of the UNJCI, ensure the safety of its members, and facilitate the upcoming ordinary congress in a fair, transparent, and peaceful manner.