01 Jul 11 | Index Index, minipost
Two journalists detained on 19 and 21 June are suspected by police to have planned terrorists acts in Ethiopia. The police chief accused Woubishet Taye, from Awramba Times, and Reyot Alemu, from the Feteh newspaper, of recruiting others to undertake terrorism activities, with the support from Eritrea, and said the group will be charged upon completion of investigations. Amnesty international reported that Ethiopia has often used such charges to silence dissenters and the Committee to Protect Journalists has called for their release.
04 Apr 11 | Index Index, minipost
Dawit Kebede, editor in chief of the Ethiopian newspaper Arwamba Times, has been released after almost two years in prison. Kebede has decided to remain in Ethiopia and has petitioned the federal government for a license in order for him to continue running his newspaper.
10 Sep 10 | Index Index, minipost
Opposition activists are urging people to change their Facebook profile pictures to that of political prisoner Birtukan Mideksa on 11 September. The opposition party leader is serving a life sentence after she was first arrested during disputed elections in 2005. Mideksa was released after two years in prison, before being arrested again in 2008 after saying that her release was due to opposition pressure on the government. The protest has been timed to coincide with the beginning of the Ethiopian new year.
25 Jun 10 | Index Index, minipost
Heather Murdock, a US journalist, has been expelled from Ethiopia. Local reports suggest her work as an investigative journalist in the restive Ogaden province was the reason for her expulsion. There have been a number of recent skirmishes between government forces and the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF). Murdock had been working for the broadcaster Voice of America (VOA) covering the aftermath of the general election. The Ethiopian government has recently enacted anti-terrorism legislation which empowers it to expel journalists which portray rebel groups in a favourable light and the authorities have been blocking of Voice of America’s website and jamming of its radio service in recent months.
