Trade unions
With the multiple political and military crises that have hit the Central African Republic since its independence in 1960, especially the traditional media sector (written press, radio and television), has experienced extremely difficult times that have considerably disrupted its functioning. Several outlets suffered looting and vandalism during the latest military-political crisis in December 2012, which led to the forceful seizure of power by a coalition of rebel groups known as Seleka on 24 March, 2013. Some journalists have even been murdered, others imprisoned for facts related to their work.
In order to defend their rights, the freedom of association is guaranteed by the Constitution, which stipulates that: "any worker may join the trade union of his choice and defend his rights and interests through trade union action." The only unions of media professionals that carry out this task are two: the Union des Journalistes de Centrafrique (Union of Central African Journalists - UJCA) to which all Central African journalists are affiliated and the Groupement des Editeurs de la Presse Privée Indépendante en Centrafrique (Editors of Independent Private Press of Central Africa - GEPPIC), that unite all the private press publishers.