August 28/2003

The EPRDF authorities seem determined to continue with the relentless repression of the free presss as recent reports of the cases of the Ethiop and Al Nejashi newspapers have revealed.

The publisher (Arif Abdelkadir), managing editor (Awol Kedir) and editor in chief (Yusuf Getachew) of the Arabic language newspaper,Al Nejashi, were sentenced to a one month imprisonment and a 1000 Birr fine each b a Sharia Court. They were accused of printing an allegedly "libelous" article. That their case was handled by a Sharia court is by itself a clear violation of the Press Law(34/85) issued by the government itself. The ETHIOP ,whose previous two editors have been jailed, is once again accused of "inciting army generals against the government", a heavy charge that can get the editor/publisher years of imprisonment. In actual fact, the government has not hidden its desire to silence the ETHIOP (newspaper and magazine) as it has emerged as a popular independent voice criticising the violations of the power holders and presenting objective news otherwise censored/ignored by the state controled media.

The EPRDF has not hidden its desire to stamp out the free press and is, in the connection, trying to decree a repressive new press law. The State controls much of the media (TV,radio,etc..) and newspapers owned or backed by it have been favored and privileged in all forms. Scores of independent journalists have been forced to flee into exile. Prime Minster Meles Zenawi has been identified justly as one of the worst enemies of the freedom of the press.

Support independent Ethiopian journalists and call on the government of prime minister Meles Zenawi to stop the repression against the free press.

SOCEPP