Press Release: 30th April, 2014
On April 25th Ethiopia authorities have arrested nine journalists as part of continuing crackdown on free press in Ethiopia.
Long before Ethiopia started narrowing political and freedom of speech space in Ethiopia, it has imposed a sanction on the Ogaden. Independent media and international organisations have been strictly prohibited to freely operate in the region to mislead the international community and cover the inhumanly abuse and atrocities that their military and allied Liyu Police militias are committing in the area.
The arrest of editor Asmamaw Hailegeorgis, freelancers Tesfalem Waldyes and Edom Kassaye, and bloggers Abel Wabella, Atnaf Berhane, Mahlet Fantahun, Natnail Feleke, Zelalem Kibret, and Befekadu Hailu is coming nearly three years after Ethiopian army wounded and harassed two Swedish journalist who went Ogaden to report the dire human right situation in region. Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye were arrested and sentenced in to 11 years imprisonment by the Ethiopian kangaroo court.
Since the Ethiopian parliament passed the vaguely defined anti-terrorism proclamation there are many journalists and politician who were arrested and harassed in the higly sectret torture cells in Makalawi, Kaliti and other prisons in the country.
Ethiopia has a history of oppression and intolerance towards the truth as they evade from it is international human right obligation.
Qorahay Media Journalist Grouup are strictly condemning Ethiopain government actions against the freedom of speech and expression in general and the media blockage in the Ogaden in particular as well as the latest arrest of the nine journalist in this month.
We are also calling for the international community, human right organisations, press freedom activists and international media to press Ethiopian government to stop immediately all forms of killing and abuse against civilians including journalists and to open Ogaden region for the independent media.
Qorahay Media Journalists Group.
Never heard of these guys, and never seen their publications. Can any one tell me what they were writing, on which papers or media? Do they have any journalistic training?
Journalism means reporting facts and commenting on events. A journalist would investigate and expose misconduct and incompetence among those in power
But enticing violence, encouraging ethnic and religious conflict, promoting terrorism, defamation etc. are not covered by freedom of press.