Pan-African digital rights organisation Paradigm Initiative (PIN) has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting media freedom across Francophone Africa.

The organisation gave the assurance in a statement on Thursday, highlighting its recent legal victory in Senegal, which led to the removal of a constitutional provision that would have empowered authorities to shut down news outlets without prior notice.

“This victory also reinforces Paradigm Initiative’s work across Francophone Africa, demonstrating the importance of strategic legal advocacy, strong local partnerships and sustained engagement in shaping media and digital rights frameworks that protect fundamental freedoms,” the organisation said.

Earlier in March, PIN through its partner Association of Online Press Publishers and Professionals (APPEL) launched a lawsuit challenging Senegal’s Law No. 07/2026 establishing the National Media Regulatory Council (CNRM). 

The original law granted the CNRM broad powers to permanently shut down newspapers or online news sites in the event of an undefined “repeat offence,” deploy law enforcement without prior judicial review and impose interim measures without sufficient safeguards for the rights of the defence.

The Constitutional Council of Senegal, the country’s highest judicial body, later ruled in favour of APPEL and 23 members of parliament, striking down the provision allowing the closure of newspapers and websites and declaring the CNRM’s power to shut down news outlets’ premises unconstitutional.

Francophone Africa regional Programs Officer for Paradigm Initiative, Moussa Waly Sene, commended the organisation’s role in the legal battle, noting that PIN was committed to ensuring that the Senegalese government implement the country’s judgment. 

“Paradigm Initiative reaffirms its unwavering commitment to supporting media professionals, digital rights advocates and the Senegalese authorities in the effective implementation of this historic decision,” the organisation said.