30 November 2005
AFRICAN COALITION URGES END TO PRESS CRACKDOWN
A coalition of 19 free expression groups, including 10 IFEX members, have called on Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi to end a post-election crackdown on media outlets in the country, saying journalists and their families are reportedly being arrested and held hostage.
In a letter to Zenawi, the Network of African Free Expression Organisations (NAFEO) said it was seriously concerned that the Ethiopian media has faced various forms of attack following the elections held in May and August this year.
These include journalists arrested and detained, media houses closed down, media licences cancelled, and reports that journalists will be charged with political offences like treason. Security forces have also detained family members of journalists who have gone into hiding.
"Journalists should not be targeted or held responsible for events that they have covered as part of their legitimate journalistic work, regardless of any controversy or incidents that have arisen over the outcome of the elections," NAFEO said. The coalition called for the immediate release of detained journalists and family members, and urged the government to allow media houses and reporters to operate freely.
Since August 2005, the Ethiopian government has issued a "wanted" list of 58 people, including 17 publishers and editors, who will be prosecuted for attempting to "violently undermine the constitutional order in the country."
The crackdown comes in the wake of street protests organised by opposition leaders who accused Zenawi of rigging polls in May to get re-elected. Forty people were killed in the protests.
Read NAFEO's letter to Zenawi:
http://mediarightsagenda.org/lettnafeo.html
Visit these links:
- CPJ: http://www.cpj.org/news/2005/Ethiopia28nov05na.html
- Human Rights Watch: http://www.hrw.org/doc?t=africa&c=ethiop
- IPI: http://www.freemedia.at/r_wl_ethiopia.htm
- RSF: http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=15595
- Amnesty International: http://tinyurl.com/bepu5
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