Seychelles: Seychellois Endorse Media's Oversight Role, but Many Doubt That It Is Truly Free

What the report says

An Afrobarometer survey of Seychellois attitudes toward media freedom and public access to information, published by AllAfrica on 12 August 2026, found broad support for an independent press but lingering doubts about how free the media actually is. The findings come from Seychelles, where respondents overwhelmingly said journalists should keep investigating government mistakes and corruption, and most also backed the right to publish views without government interference.

At the same time, the survey suggests many citizens remain skeptical about the media environment. Just over half of respondents described the country’s media as not very free or not free at all, while fewer than half said it was somewhat or completely free. The report also noted a decline in positive perceptions since 2022. Only small shares said they had contacted media outlets or posted political content on social media in the past year.

The poll also found strong public support for government transparency. A majority said people should have access to information held by authorities, including district budgets and records on public project bids and contracts. Fewer respondents supported releasing some salary information. The article places these views in a wider context of Seychelles’ relatively open media landscape, while noting concerns about political influence and editorial independence raised by recent policy changes and past disputes involving journalists.