Ethiopia: Rights group calls on courts to protect freedoms of ‘illegally’ detained journalists

By Agence de Presse Africaine On Jun 6, 2022

APA-Addis Ababa The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission on Sunday said that courts should protect the rights and freedoms of individuals who are illegally detained. Since last month, the Ethiopian police have pounced on local newsrooms, detaining 19 people, including journalists, magazine editors and talk show hosts. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’ s…

APA-Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) on Sunday said that courts should protect the rights and freedoms of individuals who are illegally detained.

Since last month, the Ethiopian police have pounced on local newsrooms, detaining 19 people, including journalists, magazine editors and talk show hosts.

Police said the mass arrest has to do with a law enforcement operation being taken place in Amhara region where 4500 civilians were also arrested in an attempt to crackdown Fano –a popular force in the region.

In an explainer that the rights groups published on its website, it reflected on why the arrest of journalists is illegal.

It said that the law does not allow pre-trial detention over alleged crimes in the media.

The press law in the country provides special protection and does prohibit pre-trial detention, it argued.

Suspects, in relation to offences to the media law in the country, are not supposed to be held for extended pre-trial detention, and the charge should be filed through the prosecutor directly, according to EHRC which cited sections 86 subsections 1 of the media law.

Journalists are not supposed to be behind bars on grounds of carrying out an investigation, and courts are supposed to protect the rights of those detained unlawfully.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration has arrested at least 19 journalists over the past three weeks including Temesgen Desalegn, Meskerem Abera, and Meaza Mohammed.

MG/abj/APA