Human rights commission calls on government to stop arbitrary arrests of journalists and to respect citizens’ rights in addition to lifting the internet restriction imposed on social media as it is violation of the human rights principle.
The call on the fight for free press came at a time when the Ethiopian Media Council in collaboration with its partners celebrated the world press freedom day on May 3, 2023 in an event held at Inter luxury hotel with the presence of journalists.
Speaking at the celebration, head of the Commission Daniel Bekele /PHD/ called the government to respect the national media law, stating, “The New Media Law has provided exceptional circumstances in which detaining journalists before they are found guilty as not allowable,” adding that, “Despite enacting the New Media Law which forbids depriving journalists of their liberty at the pre-trial and trial stages, there is an increase in such practices.”
According to the latest press freedom index by the Reporters Without Borders, the press freedom situation in Ethiopia has further deteriorated as the country ranked 130 out of 180 countries with a global press freedom score of 47.7 in 2023. In 2022 Ethiopia was ranked 114 out of 180 with a global press freedom score of 50.53.
Amnesty International has said that “media freedom has come under significant attack” in Ethiopia in 2022, with authorities arresting at least 29 journalists and media workers across the country.
“Attacks, harassment, intimidation and criminalization of journalists have been escalating in East and Southern Africa for exposing allegations of corruption and human rights violations,” stated Amnesty International’s Director for East and Southern Africa, Tigere Chagutah in recent press briefings.
In a statement released on Wednesday, May third together with the Media Institute of Southern Africa to mark the World Press Freedom Day, the rights group said that the Tigrayan authorities also charged five journalists with “collaboration with the enemy” the same year.
Authorities across East and Southern Africa escalated their attacks against journalists and press freedom across the region to suppress reporting of corruption and human rights violations throughout 2022 the statement added.
The statement further said authorities in the region must stop targeting journalists and media organizations for doing their job, and create conducive environment which allows the press to work without repercussions, intimidation and imprisonment.
Daniel also stated that long term internet restriction imposed on certain social media is violation of human rights, “most of the population uses Facebook, telegram and YouTube to express their opinion and to get information, restriction violate freedom of opinion and expression and receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”
As the council head explained, the media houses are in talks with the government in hopes that the restriction will be lifted up soon.
On April 27, 47 human rights organizations sent a letter calling on Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to ensure unfettered internet and digital communications access.
The letter expressed alarm at the weponization of internet shutdowns in the country, highlighting several recent disruptions, including on April 3 when authorities blocked access to mobile internet during violent protests in the Amhara region and in February when the government blocked access to social media platforms. The letter argues that shutting down the internet is an affront to fundamental human rights and undermines the freedom and safety of journalists.