Addis Abeba – The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has expressed its deep concern about the arrest of three more journalists under the state of emergency that was declared in the conflict hit Amhara region.
In a statement on Wednesday, the committee said Abay Zewdu, chief editor of the YouTube-based Amhara Media Center (AMC), Yidnekachew Kebede, founder and editor of YouTube-based Negari TV and Fekadu Mahtemework, editor-in-chief of the weekly Ghion magazine were all arrested in August.
While Yidnekachew and Fekadu were later released on bail and without charge respectively, CPJ noted that Abay, who was arrested on 10 August, was taken to Awash Arba military facility on August 21 and remained in custody. According to the CPJ, all three journalists were covering the conflict in Amhara and the state of emergency prior to their arrest.
“Ethiopian authorities should release all journalists detained for their work and guarantee that the state of emergency in Amhara will not be used to stifle the media”, CPJ’s Sub-Saharan Africa representative Muthoki Mumo said.
Similarly, CPJ had issued a statement on 11 August calling for the immediate release of journalist Bekalu Alamirew who was arrested on 06 August in connection with the ongoing militarized conflict in Amhara region. In April, Addis Standard reported the arrest of at least eight journalists. AS
