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Alerts - Ethiopia

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Ethiopia

Leading weekly's website blocked for past six days

"Website blocking is not new in Ethiopia, but a leading independent newspaper's site has never previously been affected," RSF noted.

Ethiopia

Journalist Eskinder Nega defends himself in court

IPI again condemns terrorism charges against journalists.

Ethiopia

Future of last remaining human rights monitoring NGO in the balance

Amnesty International, ARTICLE 19, CIVICUS, East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project and Human Rights Watch call upon the Supreme Court to protect the rights of all human rights organisations to conduct their legitimate and essential work, including through unrestricted access to their funds.

Ethiopia

Blogger risks death penalty as judge confirms charges

Eskinder Nega will stand trial in March for all of the terrorism accusations initially advanced by prosecutors, a federal high court judge ruled.

Ethiopia

CORRECTION: Death penalty for blogger, prison for journalists

The three journalists were charged in September with lending support to an underground network of banned opposition groups, which has been criminalized under the country's 2009 antiterrorism law.

Ethiopia

Journalists convicted under anti-terror legislation

Reyot Alemu, Wubshet Taye, and Elias Kifle could face the death penalty for calling for protest against the government in their writings.

Ethiopia

IFJ condemns jail term handed down to Swedish journalists

Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson were both sentenced to 11 years in jail after a court last week convicted them of entering the country illegally and supporting terrorism.

Ethiopia

Two Swedish journalists found guilty of "supporting terrorism", face 15 years in jail

WiPC has serious concerns about the fairness of the trial, which has seen political interference in the proceedings and the use of fabricated evidence.

Ethiopia

Dawit Kebede joins country's exiled journalists

The managing editor of "Awramba Times" was forced to leave the country after he received a tip about alleged government plans to re-imprison him.

Ethiopia

Authorities charge six journalists with terrorism

Two of the journalists, Eskinder Nega and Fasil Yenealem, were imprisoned on anti-state charges for coverage critical of the government's brutal repression of pro-democracy protests following the disputed 2005 election.

Ethiopia

Court drops one of three charges against Swedish journalists

An Addis Ababa court has dropped a charge of "participating in terrorist activity" against Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye of the Kontinent news agency; the journalists continue to be tried on charges of "supporting a terrorist group" and "entering Ethiopia illegally".

Ethiopia

Authorities detain two more journalists on vague terrorism accusations

Shortly after Sileshi Hagos and Eskinder Nega were arrested, state television portrayed them as "spies for foreign forces" and accused them of harboring links with the banned political group Ginbot 7.

Ethiopia

Journalist identified in WikiLeaks cable flees country

Argaw Ashine fled after police interrogated him and gave him 24 hours to reveal the identity of his government source or else face "unspecified consequences."

Ethiopia

Two Swedish and three Ethiopian journalists charged with terrorism

Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's government is using the anti-terrorism law against journalists who dare to criticise authorities or carry out investigative reporting in remote areas where rebels are active, says RSF.

Ethiopia

Call for release of detained opposition leaders as crackdown intensifies

The arrest of two ethnic Oromo leaders appears to be a prime example of the government using the anti-terrorism law to silence the opposition, Human Rights Watch said.

Ethiopia

RSF calls for release of two journalists, investigation into conditions of detention

Reyot Alemu is in very poor health while Wubeshet Taye says he has been mistreated.

Ethiopia

Two journalists freed on bail; two others remain in detention

Haileyesus Worku and Abdulsemed Mohammed were released on bail on 22 July after being held for 15 months.

Ethiopia

Authorities detain two Swedish journalists

Johan Persson and Martin Schibbey were reporting on the activities of armed separatists operating in an oil-rich province of eastern Ethiopia.

Ethiopia

Two journalists detained, held without charge

Reeyot Alemu is the second journalist picked up and held without charge in less than a week, following the earlier arrest of Woubshet Taye.

Ethiopia / China

EFJA urges China to stop complicity in jamming Ethiopian satellite TV transmissions

The Chinese government must realise that collaborating with African tyrants and exporting tools of repression to countries like Ethiopia is an inexcusable act that will further tarnish its image as a sponsor of oppression, EFJA said.

Ethiopia

Ghanaian journalists prevented from covering African Union Summit

Cameras belonging to the state-owned Ghana Television (GTV) and privately-owned Television 3 (TV3) were seized by officials who claimed the group had no permit to send "professional video cameras" into the country.

Ethiopia

Officials censor UNESCO World Press Freedom Day event

Officials installed government-backed journalists as speakers and nixed independent journalists slated to speak and there was no discussion of this year's global theme on new media and the Internet.

Ethiopia

Authorities urged to probe jamming of German radio broadcasts

In a press statement, the management of German state-funded Deutsche Welle accused authorities of involvement in recent jamming in response to Amharic-language news and coverage critical of the government.

Ethiopia

Following mass arrests of ethnic Oromo opposition members, concerns raised that Anti-Terrorism Law may be used to suppress legitimate criticism of government policy

While Ethiopia has valid security concerns related to sporadic bombings and other attacks, the government has routinely cited terrorism to justify suppressing nonviolent opposition and arbitrarily detaining peaceful government critics.

Ethiopia

Newspapers and journalists face threats and legal pressure

"By taking legal action against news media that criticise its policies or simply dare to ask awkward questions, the government is trying to suffocate them," RSF said.

Ethiopia

Editor released; his son jailed

Edezin Mohamed, editor of "Al-Quds" newspaper, was released after serving one year in prison, while his son Akram Ezedin has just been arrested.

Ethiopia

Leading critical newspaper reports tampering of its mail

The "Awramba Times" has been harassed for its critical coverage of the government.

Ethiopia

American journalist reporting in rebel area expelled

Heather Murdock had been reporting with Voice of America near an area where there were reported skirmishes between the army and separatist rebels.

Ethiopia

Pressure on media heightened in weeks before elections

Government and ruling party officials intimidated voters and unlawfully restricted the media ahead of the 23 May parliamentary elections, Human Rights Watch said.

Ethiopia

Two state TV journalists under arrest

Editor Haileyesus Worku and reporter Abdulsemed Mohammed are accused of allegedly misusing state property.

Ethiopia

ARTICLE 19 concerned about broad definition of terrorism in new legislation

The proclamation would undermine many legitimate acts of expression, says ARTICLE 19.

Ethiopia

IPI welcomes launch of VOA satellite broadcasts

Only 1 per cent of Ethiopians have access to satellite television, where they can now listen to VOA on an audio channel.

Ethiopia

Prime minister confirms jamming of VOA broadcasts

The prime minister accused VOA's Amharic service of "engaging in destabilising propaganda."

Ethiopia

Supreme Court orders publishing houses to pay country's highest ever fine, say publishers

The decision overturns a previous High Court ruling that a 2007 presidential amnesty to journalists and publishing houses also covered the fines.

Ethiopia

Voice of America news broadcasts jammed

CPJ suspects that the Ethiopian government is behind the static heard on the radio program for the last two weeks.

Ethiopia

Ethiopia jails editor whose paper challenged the prime minister

Ezedin Mohamed was sentenced in connection with a January 2008 column that criticised Meles Zenawi's statements about religious affairs in Ethiopia.

Ethiopia

Independent newspaper closes, its editors flee country fearing persecution

IPI regrets tragic loss of one of Ethiopia's leading independent newspapers six months before the May 2010 general elections.

Ethiopia

High Court judge jails two editors on old charges under obsolete law

Two journalists are in prison after a judge convicted them under an obsolete press law in connection with their coverage of sensitive topics.

Ethiopia / Kenya

IPI calls on governments of Ethiopia and Kenya to stop pressuring broadcaster

Kenya's 'Nation' Media Group tells IPI it will resist government pressure over investigative documentary about Ethiopian rebel fighters.

Ethiopia

Proposed counterterrorism bill violates free speech

Ethiopia's draft counterterrorism law could punish political speech and peaceful protest as terrorist acts and encourage unfair trials if enacted, Human Rights Watch said.

Ethiopia

On World Press Freedom Day, journalists in exile call on international community to pressure government to lift ban on free press

(EFJA/IFEX) - 3 May 2009 - We, members of the Ethiopian Free Press Journalists Association (EFJA) in exile all over the world, observe today, 3 May 2009, with highly charged emotions.

Ethiopia

Parliament enacts new law on NGOs, Human Rights Watch concerned over restrictions on freedom of expression and association

(HRW/IFEX) - The following is an 8 January 2009 Human Rights Watch press release:

Ethiopia

Editor convicted over misidentification of judge

(CPJ/IFEX) - The following is a 3 November 2008 CPJ press release:

Ethiopia

Leading newspaper editor beaten unconscious outside son's school

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders condemns a violent attack on leading journalist Amare Aregawi on 31 October 2008 in Addis Ababa. Aregawi, who edits "The Reporter", a large-circulation daily published in both Amharic and English-language versions, sustained serious head injuries in the attack.

Ethiopia

Journalists detained, charged over misidentification

(CPJ/IFEX) - The following is a 23 October 2008 CPJ press release:

Ethiopia

Draft law on NGOs continues to threaten civil society and independent voices

(HRW/IFEX) - The following is a 13 October 2008 Human Rights Watch press release:

Ethiopia

Two journalists released on bail but still face charges over published report

(WAN/IFEX) - The following is a 29 August 2008 WAN/WEF letter to Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi:

Ethiopia

Newspaper editor arrested over coverage of brewery's labour practices, two other journalists currently being sought over same issue; journalist released

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders is dismayed to learn that Amare Aregawi, the editor of the big-circulation weekly "Reporter", was arrested on 22 August 2008 in Addis Ababa and was then illegally transferred to a prison in Gondar, 750 km north of the capital, in connection with a libel case brought by the Gondar-based Dashen brewery.

Ethiopia

Government continues to deny three journalists publishing licenses

(IPI/IFEX) - The following is a 13 August 2008 IPI letter to Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi:

Ethiopia

Police threaten to block distribution of independent newspaper over opposition party coverage

(CPJ/IFEX) - The following is a 5 August 2008 CPJ press release:

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