As reported by the Committee to Protect Journalists, there are currently six journalists detained, with five of them confronting charges associated with terrorism.
This situation highlights the ongoing challenges faced by media professionals in certain regions, where their work may be met with severe legal repercussions. The implications of such actions raise significant concerns regarding press freedom and the safety of journalists worldwide.
Ethiopia has been identified as one of the leading countries in Africa for the imprisonment of journalists, with six individuals currently detained. Among these, five are facing serious “terrorism” charges that could potentially result in death sentences, as indicated in the 2024 prison census published by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on Thursday.
2. The report reveals that the sixth journalist, Yeshihasab Abera, was apprehended in September 2024 during what the authorities characterized as a “law enforcement operation” amid rising tensions and widespread arrests in the Amhara region. Notably, the reasons for his detention remain undisclosed, and no formal charges have been brought against him.
3. These arrests are occurring in the context of an armed conflict in the Amhara region, where it has been reported that authorities are targeting “civilians, civil servants, academics, and journalists” as part of efforts to dismantle “armed groups and their alleged supporters.” The CPJ emphasized that Ethiopian authorities often utilize “vague charges or convictions for terrorism or extremism” as a means to incarcerate journalists.
Eritrea has emerged as the most egregious violator of press freedom in Africa, with 16 journalists imprisoned since the early 2000s without any formal charges being brought against them. Following Eritrea, Cameroon and Rwanda each have five journalists in detention, while Nigeria has four.
On a global scale, China tops the list with 50 journalists currently detained, trailed by Israel with 43, Myanmar with 35, Belarus with 31, and Russia with 30. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), there were at least 361 journalists imprisoned worldwide as of December 1, 2024, representing the second-highest figure recorded in their history.
In November 2024, CPJ’s five-year report presented to the United Nations Human Rights Council highlighted a notable deterioration in press freedom since Ethiopia’s previous review. The report underscored the absence of accountability for the murders of two journalists, instances of physical violence against media personnel, the forced shutdown of media organizations, and limitations imposed on international journalists. CPJ cautioned that these rankings reflect a more extensive issue, noting that Ethiopia has established a troubling trend of arbitrary detentions of journalists over the past five years, a concern that aligns with an earlier report from Addis Standard, which documented the worsening state of press freedom in Ethiopia amid ongoing political unrest and the exile of journalists.
According to the 2023 prison census conducted by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Ethiopia has been identified as the third most detrimental country in Africa regarding the imprisonment of journalists. This year witnessed a significant increase in the number of Ethiopian journalists behind bars, reaching a total of eight.
The findings of the CPJ’s 2023 census highlight Ethiopia’s troubling position as the third-worst nation in Africa for the detention of journalists. The report indicates a notable rise in the number of imprisoned journalists in Ethiopia, which has escalated to eight individuals during this period.
CPJ
