Ethiopia
Anti-terrorism law hinders journalistsPosted Sep 15 2011
Four journalists are currently detained in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). The government said the reason for detaining the two Swedish and two Ethiopian journalists is based on vague allegations that the reporters have been supporting terrorist groups.
The January 2009 anti-terrorism law makes it illegal to report on what the government considers to be terrorist groups. Journalists who do so are accused of encouraging terrorism and can face up to 20 years of imprisonment. The law also permits the government to apprehend, interrogate and torture those suspected of affiliating with terrorists.
“The government may not like reporters talking to groups it deems to be terrorist organizations, but that's what journalists do,” said CPJ Africa Advocacy Coordinator Mohamed Keita in an article on the site.
Ethiopian journalists Woubshet Taye from the weekly Awramba Times and Reeyot Alemu from the weekly Feteh have been detained in the country since June. CPJ reports that Taye said he was tortured in prison, and Alemu’s family expressed concerns about her deteriorating health.
The two Swedish journalists were arrested in July while reporting on the separatist Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF). The government has banned the ONLF, the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) and the USA-based Ginbot 7 group for being part of the political opposition .
In November 2009, the former managing director of the leading weekly Addis Neger, fled the country . He was facing charges of terrorism complicity after covering a terrorist group’s activities, according to an article on the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX).
Media outlets such as Al Jazeera and The New York Times have faced similar problems, prior to the new laws. In 2007, a New York Times team was jailed for several days before being released without charges.