Ethiopian government pardons four journalists, revives genocide charges against others
New York, July 24, 2007— Authorities in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa released on conditional pardon last week four journalists who accepted responsibility for deadly post-election unrest in 2005, according to local journalists and news reports. The four were among 38 activists who were pardoned last week. At the same time, the government is…
Ethiopian High Court acquits eight journalists on antistate crimes
New York, April 9, 2007-Ethiopia’s High Court today acquitted and set free eight editors and publishers of Amharic-language newspapers who have been jailed on antistate charges since a massive November 2005 government crackdown, according to local journalists and media reports.
Attacks on the Press 2006: Ethiopia
ETHIOPIA As it launched cross-border attacks in support of a shaky transitional government in Somalia, Addis Ababa maintained a repressive media climate at home by jailing some journalists, intimidating other reporters, and forcing still others into exile. CPJ’s annual census found 18 journalists jailed for their work in Ethiopia, at least 15 of whom were…
CPJ calls on EU to promote press freedom at upcoming meeting on Ethiopia
Brussels, July 8, 2021 – In preparation for the Council of the European Union’s July 12 discussion on Ethiopia, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “As the Council of the European Union seeks to address the unravelling humanitarian crisis in the conflict-affected Tigray region, it should also focus on how the Ethiopian…
UN report promotes encryption as fundamental and protected right
On Wednesday, Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression David Kaye will present his report on international legal protection for encryption and anonymity to the United Nations Human Rights Council. The report is an important contribution to the security conversation at a time when some Western leaders are calling for ill-informed and impossible loopholes…
Attacks on the Press 2009: Ethiopia
Top Developments• Terrorism law criminalizes coverage of sensitive topics.• Broadcasting Authority serves as government censor. Key Statistic 4: Journalists jailed as of December 1, 2009. Ahead of national elections scheduled for May 2010, the ruling Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) further curtailed the limited freedom of the country’s small number of independent newspapers. The government enacted…
Anti-terrorism legislation further restricts Ethiopian press
Dear Prime Minister: We are writing to express our serious concerns about legislation that would further restrict press freedom in Ethiopia and about an ongoing pattern of criminal prosecutions, administrative restrictions, and Internet censorship. We are concerned that these measures, which official rhetoric has publicly justified as policies to safeguard the “constitutional order,” actually criminalize independent political coverage and infringe on press freedom as guaranteed by the Ethiopian Constitution. We call on you to use your influence to reverse this trend.