On February 20, a judge issued an injunction suspending the UNJCI’s ordinary congress, which was scheduled to renew its governing bodies. The UNJCI promptly filed an appeal to contest the ruling.
With the original congress deadline—February 26 at midnight—fast approaching and the mandate of current leaders set to expire, an extraordinary session was hastily organized on February 25. Following the organization’s statutes, delegates voted by the required majority to extend mandates until the ordinary congress could be held under proper conditions.
Tensions escalated after the vote, resulting in violent clashes among participants.
Jean Claude Coulibaly, UNJCI President, stated: “We accepted the court’s decision to suspend our 12th ordinary congress while pursuing an appeal. However, allowing a statutory void would have severely weakened our organization. The mandate extension approved during the extraordinary congress was a responsible decision to ensure institutional continuity. The UNJCI is the collective home of Ivorian journalists and cannot be weakened or placed under provisional administration.”
Omar Faruk Osman, President of the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), added: “Blocking a union from convening to renew its leadership—and then attempting to exploit the situation to create an institutional vacuum—constitutes a serious violation of trade union freedom. This runs counter to Côte d’Ivoire’s African and international commitments. No political authority has the right to dictate or influence the leadership of a journalists’ organization.”
Anthony Bellanger, Secretary-General of the International Federation of Journalists (FIJ), emphasized: “This is a blatant breach of freedom of association and an unacceptable interference in the internal affairs of a union. Alongside the FAJ, we will pursue formal complaints with relevant international and African bodies, including the International Labour Organization, against the Ivorian government for these abuses. The autonomy of unions is a fundamental right under international law—and it is non-negotiable.”
The FIJ and FAJ jointly call on Ivorian authorities to uphold the UNJCI’s independence, ensure the safety of its members, and facilitate the holding of a free, transparent, and peaceful ordinary congress.”
