3 August 2007

Reporters Without Borders today condemned the Ethiopian High Court for sentencing three newspaper journalists to between four and 10 years in prison and said it was disappointed the regime had resumed harsh punishment of media figures.

“The president’s earlier pardoning of four journalists (on 20 July) raised hopes that the disproportionate punishment of journalists was ending.  It is disgraceful that the newly-sentenced journalists have to depend on the government’s whim for their release when in fact their right to freedom of expression should be fully recognised,” the worldwide press freedom organisation said.

Editors Wosonseged Gebrekidan, of the weekly Addis Zena, and Dawit Kebede, of Hadar, had been in prison since November 2005 and were each given four-year sentences this week (30 July) for “conspiracy to subvert the government.” They were arrested after opposition demonstrations against fraud in the 2005 parliamentary elections.

Goshu Moges , of the weekly Lisane Hezeb, was given a 10-year sentence on 27 July for “belonging to an illegal political organisation.” He was arrested in February 2006 after writing an article criticising government harassment of the opposition and journalists.

Twelve journalists arrested in 2005 have been released from prison since April, four of them after a presidential pardon.

Reporters Without Borders

Press Release