Ethiopia: Press violations slammed

IFEX Autolist (other news of interest)

From: Ethiopian Free Press Journalists' Association (EFJA), [email protected], [email protected] 

24 March 2005

PRESS RELEASE

For immediate release

EFJA Executive Exiled and slams endless rights violations.

Executive Member of the Ethiopian Free Press Journalists Association (EFJA) Tamiru Geda has condemned the thirteen-year long blatant and systematic violations of freedom of expression by the Meles regime, one of the leading African 'predators of the press'.

In a statement he sent from Europe (U.K) to EFJA on 26 March, 2005, Tamiru underlined that press freedom is one of the basic human rights that Meles Zenawi continues to vilolate. "Since Meles Zenawi has come to power, so many journalists have been thrown in jail, beaten, killed, harassed, intimidated, gagged and forced to live in fear."

Tamiru indicated the government has also denied journalists the right to freedom of association by banning EFJA and interfering in its internal affairs. "Though leading human rights organisations have been calling the government to stop violating the rights of journalists, it has been pursuing a policy of persecution including using a draconian press law which has given the regime a legal right to jail journalists who express offending views against Meles and his cronies," he said.

He called on the government to abolish the press law, respect the rights of journalists and the public at large to expressing their view without fear of persecution or prosecution. "The government should wake up to realise the fact that freedom of expression does not mean extolling tyrants who have plunged the country into ethnic conflicts, abject poverty, starvation. We have been telling the fact that they have held a nation at ransom brandishing their guns."

Tamiru has been in the forefront of fighting for the survival of the Ethiopian free press for over ten years. Tamiru is currently out of the country and is considering to seek asylum in a safe country due to pressures and threat that he has faced. To date 38 EFJA members including former EC members have been  forced into exile due the persistent persecution they faced as journalists.

"Being a journalist in Ethiopia entails a greater risk. For nearly a decade I have lived in fear not because of committing any crimes but for exposing the crimes of the government who led this country from disaster to disaster. Meles friendly Western governments should stop from encouraging andsupporting this government," Tamiru said.

EFJA calls on all freedom loving journalists, International Press and Human Rights Institutions  to provide all the necessary support to Tamiru who exiled in Europe intends to continue supporting the struggle for freedom of expression with other exiled members of EFJA.

The Ethiopian Free press Journalists' Association (EFJA)

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

24 March 2005

Kifle Mulat

President

**The information contained in this autolist item is the sole responsibility of EFJA**