Ethiopian police arrested at least seven journalists working with the privately owned Ethiopian Broadcasting Services between March 26 and 28, 2025, including deputy program director Hilina Tarekegn, on March 26.
Police cited a March 23 episode of “Addis Meiraf,” which has since been taken down, in which a woman, Birtukan Temesgen, said she was abducted and raped by men in military uniforms when she was a student in 2020.
Birtukan recanted her claims on state-owned Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation on March 27, and EBS founder Amman Fissehazion apologized on March 28, saying the station discovered the allegations were fabricated after the program aired.
On April 1, the regulatory Ethiopian Media Authority said it had suspended “Addis Meiraf” pending “corrective actions.” Birtukan and the journalists were remanded for 14 days while police investigated.
Police said the journalists sought to incite conflict, threaten the constitutional order, and overthrow the government in coordination with “extremist” groups in the Amhara region, according to court documents, reviewed by CPJ.
One of the journalists, Girma Tefera, was released in April 2025, while four others — Henok Abate, Niter Dereje, Nebiyu Tiumelissan, and Habtamu Alemayehu — were released on May 8 without being formally charged.
Hilina and Tariku Haile were released on bail on May 12 and face charges of spreading hateful disinformation.
CPJ’s emails requesting comment from Ethiopia’s federal ministry of justice were unanswered.