Committee to Protect Journalists - Ethiopia tag:cpj.org,2008-09-16://1 2012-05-25T21:12:23Z Movable Type 4.34-en Ethiopian police detain VOA reporter, interpreter tag:cpj.org,2012://1.19925 2012-05-25T20:45:55Z 2012-05-25T21:12:23Z Nairobi, May 25, 2012--Police in Ethiopia today detained Peter Heinlein, a correspondent for the U.S. government-funded broadcaster Voice of America, along with Simegnish Yekoye, a freelance reporter and Heinlein's interpreter, according to Jennifer Janin, the Africa coverage editor for VOA, and local journalists.... Committee to Protect Journalists Muslims gather to protest perceived government interference in religious affairs. (DimtsachinYisema)

Nairobi, May 25, 2012--Police in Ethiopia today detained Peter Heinlein, a correspondent for the U.S. government-funded broadcaster Voice of America, along with Simegnish Yekoye, a freelance reporter and Heinlein's interpreter, according to Jennifer Janin, the Africa coverage editor for VOA, and local journalists.

]]> Obama should raise press freedom in Africa food talks tag:cpj.org,2012://1.19367 2012-05-16T18:24:51Z 2012-05-16T18:54:07Z New York, May 16, 2012--President Obama should acknowledge the role that independent news reporting plays in assessing agricultural challenges and facilitating the response to famine, the Committee to Protect Journalists stated in a letter to the White House. Ethiopia in particular downplays the extent of food crises and undermines the ability of donor nations and aid groups to help by denying journalists access to sensitive areas and censoring independent coverage. Committee to Protect Journalists In Ethiopia, new printing directive equals pre-censorship tag:cpj.org,2012://1.19336 2012-05-09T21:47:54Z 2012-05-10T13:00:41Z New York, May 9, 2012--Ethiopia's main, state-owned printing company has directed newspaper publishers to censor any content that may draw government prosecution under the country's anti-terrorism law or face cancellation of their printing contracts, according to local journalists and news reports.... Committee to Protect Journalists The directive from Barhanena Selam, in Amharic. (CPJ)

New York, May 9, 2012--Ethiopia's main, state-owned printing company has directed newspaper publishers to censor any content that may draw government prosecution under the country's anti-terrorism law or face cancellation of their printing contracts, according to local journalists and news reports.

]]> Ethiopian paper fined for coverage of Eskinder Nega trial tag:cpj.org,2012://1.19307 2012-05-04T21:04:11Z 2012-05-04T21:25:37Z New York, May 4, 2012--An Ethiopian court has cited the editor of a leading independent newspaper for contempt after his paper published the verbatim courtroom statement made by the imprisoned journalist Eskinder Nega during his trial, according to news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the ruling, which... Committee to Protect Journalists Feteh published Eskinder Nega's courtroom statement in its entirety. (CPJ)

New York, May 4, 2012--An Ethiopian court has cited the editor of a leading independent newspaper for contempt after his paper published the verbatim courtroom statement made by the imprisoned journalist Eskinder Nega during his trial, according to news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the ruling, which illustrates the growing severity of censorship in Ethiopia.

]]> Attacks on the Press in 2011: Abolishing Censorship tag:cpj.org,2012://1.17644 2012-02-22T04:37:01Z 2012-02-21T00:35:44Z Even as trade and new systems of communication turn us into global citizens, the information we need to ensure accountability often stops at national borders. New platforms like social media are valuable tools, but the battle against censorship is hardly over. By Joel Simon... Committee to Protect Journalists Police in Santiago seize a photographer during an anti-government demonstration. (Reuters/Carlos Vera)

Even as trade and new systems of communication turn us into global citizens, the information we need to ensure accountability often stops at national borders. New platforms like social media are valuable tools, but the battle against censorship is hardly over. By Joel Simon

]]> Attacks on the Press: Development Trumps Freedom tag:cpj.org,2012://1.17651 2012-02-22T04:32:01Z 2012-02-21T01:45:07Z Many African leaders continue to offer a false choice between stability and press freedom. Taking a cue from China, a key investor and model, they stress social stability and development over openness and reform. By Mohamed Keita... Committee to Protect Journalists Civil unrest grips downtown Kampala. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said journalists who covered the protests were 'enemies' of the country's development. (AP/Stephen Wandera)

Many African leaders continue to offer a false choice between stability and press freedom. Taking a cue from China, a key investor and model, they stress social stability and development over openness and reform. By Mohamed Keita

]]> Attacks on the Press in 2011: Journalists In Prison tag:cpj.org,2012://1.17664 2012-02-21T21:41:35Z 2012-02-20T14:25:44Z Iran is the world's worst jailer of the press. Detentions rise in the Middle East and North Africa.... Committee to Protect Journalists Iran is the world's worst jailer of the press. Detentions rise in the Middle East and North Africa.

]]> Attacks on the Press in 2011: Ethiopia tag:cpj.org,2012://1.17576 2012-02-21T05:16:00Z 2012-02-21T19:19:37Z Trumpeting economic growth on par with India and asserting adherence to the authoritarian model of China, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi pushed an ambitious development plan based in part on ever-hardening repression of critical journalists. The government aggressively extended application of a 2009 anti-terrorism law, designating rebel and opposition groups... Committee to Protect Journalists Trumpeting economic growth on par with India and asserting adherence to the authoritarian model of China, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi pushed an ambitious development plan based in part on ever-hardening repression of critical journalists. The government aggressively extended application of a 2009 anti-terrorism law, designating rebel and opposition groups as terrorists and criminalizing news coverage of them. Authorities were holding seven journalists in late year on vague accusations of terrorism, including two Swedes who reported on separatist rebels in the oil-rich Ogaden region, and three Ethiopians with critical views of the ruling party. The government provided no credible evidence against the journalists, and both Zenawi and state media proclaimed the journalists' guilt before trial proceedings started. The Human Rights Committee of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights raised numerous questions about the use of the terror law in its periodic review of Ethiopia's record. In November, government intimidation led to the closing of the independent Awramba Times and forced two of its journalists, including 2010 CPJ International Press Freedom Awardee Dawit Kabede, to flee the country. Another journalist fled into exile in September after his name appeared in unredacted U.S. diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks. Police threatened to arrest the journalist after the cable showed he had spoken to U.S. diplomats about a potential press crackdown.

]]> Ethiopia: Life sentence for blogger, prison for journalists tag:cpj.org,2012://1.18397 2012-01-26T17:17:14Z 2012-01-26T21:54:46Z New York, January 26, 2012--A U.S.-based journalist convicted on politicized terrorism charges in Ethiopia was sentenced to life in prison in absentia today, while two other Ethiopian journalists received heavy prison sentences in connection with their coverage of banned opposition groups, according to news reports.... Committee to Protect Journalists From left: Woubshet, Reeyot, Kifle.

New York, January 26, 2012--A U.S.-based journalist convicted on politicized terrorism charges in Ethiopia was sentenced to life in prison in absentia today, while two other Ethiopian journalists received heavy prison sentences in connection with their coverage of banned opposition groups, according to news reports.

]]> Judge confirms charges against Ethiopian dissident blogger tag:cpj.org,2012://1.18389 2012-01-25T20:14:01Z 2012-01-25T22:02:17Z Committee to Protect Journalists From left: Nega, Gellaw, Negash, Teklemariam, Yenealem, and Belew. (CPJ)

New York, January 25, 2012--Jailed Ethiopian dissident blogger Eskinder Nega will stand trial in March for all of the terrorism accusations initially advanced by prosecutors, a federal high court judge ruled yesterday, local sources said. If convicted on all charges, he could face the death penalty. 

]]> Ethiopian blogger, journalists convicted of terrorism tag:cpj.org,2012://1.18361 2012-01-19T22:22:55Z 2012-01-19T22:46:31Z New York, January 19, 2012--Two journalists and a U.S.-based blogger who was tried in absentia were convicted on charges of terrorism in Ethiopia today and could be sentenced to the death penalty, according to news reports.... Committee to Protect Journalists From left: Woubshet, Alemu, and Kifle.

New York, January 19, 2012--Two journalists and a U.S.-based blogger who was tried in absentia were convicted on charges of terrorism in Ethiopia today and could be sentenced to the death penalty, according to news reports.

]]> In Ethiopia, Swedish journalists handed prison terms tag:cpj.org,2011://1.18278 2011-12-27T20:04:22Z 2011-12-27T20:30:39Z New York, December 27, 2011--In a highly politicized trial, two Swedish journalists have been sentenced in an Ethiopian court to 11-year jail terms after being convicted of supporting terrorism and entering the country illegally, according to news reports.... Committee to Protect Journalists An Ethiopian court has sentenced Swedish journalists Johan Persson (left) and Martin Schibbye to 11 years in prison. (AFP)

New York, December 27, 2011--In a highly politicized trial, two Swedish journalists have been sentenced in an Ethiopian court to 11-year jail terms after being convicted of supporting terrorism and entering the country illegally, according to news reports.

]]> CPJ condemns trial of Swedish journalists in Ethiopia tag:cpj.org,2011://1.18259 2011-12-21T20:40:42Z 2011-12-21T20:54:45Z New York, December 21, 2011--The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns an Ethiopian court's decision to convict two Swedish photojournalists today in what appears to be a politicized trial.... Committee to Protect Journalists Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson could be sentenced to up to 18 years. (Reuters)

New York, December 21, 2011--The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns an Ethiopian court's decision to convict two Swedish photojournalists today in what appears to be a politicized trial.

]]> Ethiopia must free convicted Swedish journalists tag:cpj.org,2011://1.18256 2011-12-21T13:54:01Z 2011-12-21T21:54:09Z December 21, 2011--Today's conviction of two Swedish journalists by an Ethiopian court is emblematic of Ethiopia's increasing use of antiterrorism laws to persecute independent media, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.... Committee to Protect Journalists December 21, 2011--Today's conviction of two Swedish journalists by an Ethiopian court is emblematic of Ethiopia's increasing use of antiterrorism laws to persecute independent media, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

]]> Dawit Kebede joins Ethiopia's exiled journalists tag:cpj.org,2011://1.18134 2011-11-21T19:16:42Z 2011-11-21T19:31:45Z New York, November 21, 2011--Dawit Kebede, managing editor of Awramba Times, one of Ethiopia's two remaining independent Amharic-language newspapers offering critical analysis of local politics, announced today that he was forced to leave the country after he received a tip last week about alleged government plans to re-imprison him.... Committee to Protect Journalists Kebede, left, is presented with a 2010 CPJ award by Wall Street Journal editor Robert Thomson. (Afrikanspot)

New York, November 21, 2011--Dawit Kebede, managing editor of Awramba Times, one of Ethiopia's two remaining independent Amharic-language newspapers offering critical analysis of local politics, announced today that he was forced to leave the country after he received a tip last week about alleged government plans to re-imprison him. Kebede also said that the paper was unlikely to continue publishing.

Kebede, whom CPJ honored a year ago for perseverance in pursuing independent journalism in Ethiopia despite ongoing government intimidation, told CPJ from Washington, D.C., that official sources warned him on Thursday of preparations by the Ministry of Justice and Government Communication Affairs to revoke the conditional pardon that authorities offered in 2007 to him and other imprisoned journalists rounded up in a brutal November 2005 crackdown.

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