Ethiopian journalist jailed for criticising
leader
2 February, 2010 | AFP
"An Ethiopian judge sentenced a journalist to prison on Friday in
connection with a January 2008 column that criticized Prime
Minister Meles Zenawi's statements about religious affairs in
Ethiopia, according to local journalists," the New York-based
press rights watchdog said.
It identified the journalist as Ezedin Mohamed, editor of Al-Quds,
which it described as a "Muslim-orientated newspaper".
The Al-Quds column is said to have challenged Meles's
characterisation of his country as "Orthodox Christian Ethiopia,"
CPJ said.
The editor has begun serving his sentence at Kality Prison outside
the capital Addis Ababa, the watchdog said.
"The jailing of Ezedin Mohamed is another example of Ethiopia's
intolerance of independent and critical voices," said CPJ Africa
Program Coordinator Tom Rhodes. "It is high time for Prime
Minister Meles Zenawi to demonstrate his commitment to
democratic values by ending the practice of imprisoning journalists."
Mohamed is the fifth journalist to be imprisoned in Ethiopia, which
is the second worst jailer of journalists in Africa, CPJ said, adding
that only neighbouring Eritrea jails more.
Veteran Journalist sentenced to one year
imprisonment
29 January, 2010 | Eskendir Nega
Addis Ababa: Judge Mohammed Omar of the tenth bench of the
Federal High Court today sentenced Ezeden Mohammed, editor
and publisher of of Ethiopia’s largest Islamic weekly,Hekima, to
one year imprisonment.
The court convicted Ezeden Mohammed, whose fourteen-year
span career as an independent journalist is rare after the
clampdown in 2005, for incitement in connection with a 2005
Guardian newspaper interview with PM Meles Zenawi.
Ezeden has been imprisoned since Monday morning until the judge
considered the plea for monetary fine by the convicted journalist
and the stringent demand of the public prosecutor for the maximum
prison sentence under Ethiopia’s old press less, which was recently
replaced by a much harsher new law.
Ezeden now joins two other journalists, Ismael Mohamed, editor of
Ethiopia’s other Islamic newspaper, and Asrat Wedajo, editor of
Ethiopia’s once largest Oromo-centric newspaper, Seife Nebelbal,
which was shut down by the government in 2005.
This sentencing comes after editors of Ethiopia’s popular post
2005 political newspaper, Addis Neger, hastily fled the country
after being informed by sources of the government’s intent to try
them under the much feared anti-terrorist law. The Supreme Court
is also expected to pass final ruling on Friday with regards to a
government plea to collect hefty fines imposed against four
publishing houses in the infamous treason trial of 2005.
Four years after the clampdown against thirteen independent
political newspapers in 2005, not one amongst them has been
allowed to resume publication to date. The Ethiopian government
still continues to deny press licensees to Ethiopia’s independent
journalists despite the near paralysis of the private media few
months short of the national elections.
Check Also: Our Press Freedom Page
leader
2 February, 2010 | AFP
- ADDIS ABABA —
An Ethiopian
journalist has been
jailed for a year for
criticising the prime
minister, the
Committee for the
Protection of
Journalists (CPJ)
said Tuesday.
"An Ethiopian judge sentenced a journalist to prison on Friday in
connection with a January 2008 column that criticized Prime
Minister Meles Zenawi's statements about religious affairs in
Ethiopia, according to local journalists," the New York-based
press rights watchdog said.
It identified the journalist as Ezedin Mohamed, editor of Al-Quds,
which it described as a "Muslim-orientated newspaper".
The Al-Quds column is said to have challenged Meles's
characterisation of his country as "Orthodox Christian Ethiopia,"
CPJ said.
The editor has begun serving his sentence at Kality Prison outside
the capital Addis Ababa, the watchdog said.
"The jailing of Ezedin Mohamed is another example of Ethiopia's
intolerance of independent and critical voices," said CPJ Africa
Program Coordinator Tom Rhodes. "It is high time for Prime
Minister Meles Zenawi to demonstrate his commitment to
democratic values by ending the practice of imprisoning journalists."
Mohamed is the fifth journalist to be imprisoned in Ethiopia, which
is the second worst jailer of journalists in Africa, CPJ said, adding
that only neighbouring Eritrea jails more.
Veteran Journalist sentenced to one year
imprisonment
29 January, 2010 | Eskendir Nega
Addis Ababa: Judge Mohammed Omar of the tenth bench of the
Federal High Court today sentenced Ezeden Mohammed, editor
and publisher of of Ethiopia’s largest Islamic weekly,Hekima, to
one year imprisonment.
The court convicted Ezeden Mohammed, whose fourteen-year
span career as an independent journalist is rare after the
clampdown in 2005, for incitement in connection with a 2005
Guardian newspaper interview with PM Meles Zenawi.
Ezeden has been imprisoned since Monday morning until the judge
considered the plea for monetary fine by the convicted journalist
and the stringent demand of the public prosecutor for the maximum
prison sentence under Ethiopia’s old press less, which was recently
replaced by a much harsher new law.
Ezeden now joins two other journalists, Ismael Mohamed, editor of
Ethiopia’s other Islamic newspaper, and Asrat Wedajo, editor of
Ethiopia’s once largest Oromo-centric newspaper, Seife Nebelbal,
which was shut down by the government in 2005.
This sentencing comes after editors of Ethiopia’s popular post
2005 political newspaper, Addis Neger, hastily fled the country
after being informed by sources of the government’s intent to try
them under the much feared anti-terrorist law. The Supreme Court
is also expected to pass final ruling on Friday with regards to a
government plea to collect hefty fines imposed against four
publishing houses in the infamous treason trial of 2005.
Four years after the clampdown against thirteen independent
political newspapers in 2005, not one amongst them has been
allowed to resume publication to date. The Ethiopian government
still continues to deny press licensees to Ethiopia’s independent
journalists despite the near paralysis of the private media few
months short of the national elections.
Check Also: Our Press Freedom Page
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| Media Behavior |
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| Yes, "information is power" " ...The free flow of information and the dissemination of knowledge pose imminent danger to the power of dictators." Professor Adugnaw Worku Listen to the voice "But why has the regime gone to such extremes to keep information from the Ethiopian people? ..." Ethio Media Common Ground Towards 'Truth' Truth and Media Ethics among the Diaspora Ethiopians By Alethia "..I’d also agree to a great extent that that is what motivates most of fellow Ethiopians in the Diaspora media and they have been doing tremendous jobs in that regard. But truth be told and here...." More |
| Abebe Gellaw slams Meles for keeping nation in darkness 6 May, 2009 | By H Daniel " Abebe, highlighted the efforts of the "one-man" government to block the free flow of information in Ethiopia...More |
| Ethiopian press freedom violations continue "Others familiar with the media in Ethiopia say that the press in Ethiopia is not free to criticise the government. Despite Zenawi being seen as...More |
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