June 15, 2000
REPRESSION AGAINST JOURNALISTS CONTINUES
ON June 2, the Federal High Court sentenced Tewodros Kassa, editor-in-chief of the ETHIOP magazine, to a one year prison term or payment of 15,000 Birr (1 US dollar=8 Birr). Tewodros Kassa was accused of publishing a news item that the government alleges "was fabricated and could incite people to political violence". It is evident that journalist Tewodros has been singled out for punishment because of the critical stance his magazine has vis a vis the EPRDF government. It is to be noted that the government uses the draconian Press Proclamation (no 34/1993) to harass, fine and jail journalists of the free press.
The continuing repression has put the country on the top list of those countries that have detained more journalists. With reports coming in that the chairman of the recently legalized Ethiopian Free Journalists Association, Kifle Mulat, may soon find himself behind bars (a series of charges had been made against him and he is going to court) there is no doubt that the government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi seems as determined as ever before to muzzle the free press. SOCEPP calls for an end to the repression against the journalists of the free press and abrogation of the press proclamation. Journalist Tewodros Kassa and others railroaded like him to prison should be immediately released.
Write protest letters to Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, Office of the Prime Minister, p.o.box 1031, Addis Abeba,Ethiopia. Fax no: +251-1 55 50 20
SOCEPP
