Ethiopia: Pillay condemns crackdown on journalists, increasing restrictions on freedom of expression
GENEVA
(2 May 2014) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on
Friday expressed concerns about the increasing restrictions placed on
freedom of opinion and expression in Ethiopia, following the recent
arrest and detention of six bloggers and three journalists. “I am deeply concerned by this recent wave of arrests
and the increasing climate of intimidation against journalists and
bloggers prevailing in Ethiopia,” Pillay said.On 25 and 26 April, six members of the blogging
collective Zone Nine and three journalists were arrested by police in
Addis Ababa. They were later taken to the Maekelawi federal police
station, where they remain in custody.
On 27 April 2014, they
appeared before the Arada Court of First Instance in Addis Ababa.
Although the exact charges against each of them remain unclear, the UN
Human Rights Office has received information that they were arrested for
“working with foreign human rights organizations and inciting violence
through social media to create instability in the country.”
The
nine detainees are reportedly held incommunicado and some of their
family members who tried to bring them food over the weekend were denied
access. Since January 2012, a number of journalists have been
convicted under the Anti-terrorism Proclamation to sentences ranging
from 5 years to life imprisonment. Two journalists arrested in July 2012
and January 2013 under the same law are currently in detention,
awaiting their trial.“The fight against terrorism cannot serve as an excuse
to intimidate and silence journalists, bloggers, human rights activists
and members of civil society organizations. And working with foreign
human rights organisations cannot be considered a crime. Over the past
few years, the space for dissenting voices has been shrinking
dramatically in Ethiopia,” the High Commissioner said.Pillay noted that the Ethiopian authorities continue to
use the Charities and Societies Proclamation Law, the Anti-Terrorism
Proclamation and the Mass Media Law to restrict the rights to freedom of
expression, association and assembly.The Charities and Societies Proclamation Law places
restrictions on the activities that civil society organizations can
engage in and institutes onerous registration procedures for
registration as well as criminal penalties, restrictions on funding
sources and intrusive powers of surveillance.
(2 May 2014) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on
Friday expressed concerns about the increasing restrictions placed on
freedom of opinion and expression in Ethiopia, following the recent
arrest and detention of six bloggers and three journalists.
and the increasing climate of intimidation against journalists and
bloggers prevailing in Ethiopia,” Pillay said.
collective Zone Nine and three journalists were arrested by police in
Addis Ababa. They were later taken to the Maekelawi federal police
station, where they remain in custody.
On 27 April 2014, they
appeared before the Arada Court of First Instance in Addis Ababa.
Although the exact charges against each of them remain unclear, the UN
Human Rights Office has received information that they were arrested for
“working with foreign human rights organizations and inciting violence
through social media to create instability in the country.”
The
nine detainees are reportedly held incommunicado and some of their
family members who tried to bring them food over the weekend were denied
access.
convicted under the Anti-terrorism Proclamation to sentences ranging
from 5 years to life imprisonment. Two journalists arrested in July 2012
and January 2013 under the same law are currently in detention,
awaiting their trial.
to intimidate and silence journalists, bloggers, human rights activists
and members of civil society organizations. And working with foreign
human rights organisations cannot be considered a crime. Over the past
few years, the space for dissenting voices has been shrinking
dramatically in Ethiopia,” the High Commissioner said.
use the Charities and Societies Proclamation Law, the Anti-Terrorism
Proclamation and the Mass Media Law to restrict the rights to freedom of
expression, association and assembly.
restrictions on the activities that civil society organizations can
engage in and institutes onerous registration procedures for
registration as well as criminal penalties, restrictions on funding
sources and intrusive powers of surveillance.
