Ethiopian journalist Million Beyene was seized by unidentified men from the Addis Standard newsroom in the capital Addis Ababa on April 15, 2026.
The outlet’s publisher Jakenn Publishing PLC said in a statement that the men, who were dressed in plainclothes, some wearing caps and face masks, told Million he was “needed for questioning” and took him to an undisclosed location.
Screenshots of April 15 security camera footage, published by Addis Standard, showed at least three men walking up and down a stairwell. The outlet described their movements as “deliberate and organized, with one leading ahead while other follow closely behind.”
Jakenn’s leadership and legal team were initially unable to locate Million and were told by four different police departments and stations that the journalist was not in their custody, the article said. Surveillance unit officers within the Addis Ababa Police and Federal Police Commission also said they did not recognize the individuals as members of their forces, it added.
Addis Standard has repeatedly faced state pressure. On February 24, 2026, the Ethiopian Media Authority (EMA) revoked its online media registration certificate. In 2025, its newsroom was raided and in 2021 it was banned.
When asked by CPJ on April 16, 2026, whether he had information on Million’s whereabouts or whether he was in police custody, federal police spokesperson Jeylan Abdi said via WhatsApp that Million’s family had confirmed he was not being held by federal police. Asked whether the disappearance was under investigation, Jeylan referred CPJ to the Addis Ababa police.
In a text message on April 16, Markos Tadesse told CPJ to contact the city force’s head of public relations, Thomas Eshete, who said by phone that he had no information about the case.
On April 28, 2026, Million was released after two weeks in “undisclosed, informal detention facilities in Addis Ababa and outside the city,” according to his publisher.