World News, Africa

Police given ten more days to investigate Ethiopian journalists, bloggers under custody

Mahlet Fasil

A court in Addis Abeba today granted the police investigating the case of three independent journalists and six bloggers ten more days before the next hearing.

According to defense lawyer Amha Meokonnen, the police have submitted an application for no-bail at the Arada First Instance Court, First Bench claiming the investigation was a serious matter.

No charges were brought as of yet but the police have said the detainees have more collaborators who may help them to escape the country. The police have also said they were yet to finish confiscating equipments belonging to detainees including computers and printed documents, and they were yet to have some of the documents translated from English to Amharic.

World News, Africa

President of Chamber of Commerce declines running for second term

“I believe my candidacy won’t be as much effective as leaving the Chamber [now]”: Mulu Solomon

Kiram Tadesse

Mulu Solomon, the first female President of the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations, says she will not stand for the second term in the upcoming presidential election of the Chamber scheduled to take place tomorrow.

World News, Africa

EU concerned over Ethiopia’s recent arrests of journalists, bloggers and opposition party members

A statement from the European External Action Service (EEAS), EU’s Foreign & Security Policy Service led by Catherine Ashton (pictured), said the EU was “concerned about the recent arrests of bloggers, journalists and opposition members.”

The EU reiterates the importance of “protecting space for genuine political dialogue and creating an environment in which divergent voices from all parts of society can express their views freely in a constructive manner,” the statement said.