Abbay Media News
by Zerihun Shumte
CPJ has announced that the number of journalists jailed in the year 2016 has increased by half compared to last year. Almost 259 journalists have been jailed in 32 countries. The Ethiopia government has been ranked 3rd in Africa by jailing and harassing journalists. According to the report, 16 journalist have been jailed by the regime for exercising the rights of free speech and press.
The Ethiopian regime has been using the anti-terrorism law to stifle freedom of speech, journalists and political oppositions. The government is intensifying its arrest and harassment of journalists during the on going state of emergency that the regime declared following wave of protest and public disobedience across the country.
Temesghen Desalegn is one of the jailed journalists in Ethiopia. The Federal High Court in the capital, Addis Ababa, convicted magazine owner Temesghen on October 13, 2014, of incitement and defamation and sentenced him for three year imprisonment. He has been held at the remote Ziway Prison, about 83 miles south-east of the capital. However, his families and close friends have reported that Temesghen has been out of seen for a week. His whereabouts is not known till this minute.
CPJ’s report also shows that the number of jailed journalists has risen to the worst level in 25 years. Egypt, Eritrea and Ethiopia have taken the first three places by jailing large number of journalists in the continent.
