Ethiopia: Remanded Editor-in-Chief faces Third Charge

IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
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ALERT UPDATE - ETHIOPIA

5 April 2002

EFJA concerned over charges and bail imposed on editors-in-chief

SOURCE: Ethiopian Free Press Journalists' Association (EFJA), Addis Ababa

**Updates IFEX alerts on the Shine case of 4 April, 29 and 22 March 2002, 8
November and 12 January 2001 and 15 November 2000**

(EFJA/IFEX) - On 1 April 2002, the Third Criminal Bench of the Federal High
court ordered Melese Shine, editor-in-chief of "Ethiop" newspaper and
magazine,
to appear in court on 17 May for a third criminal charge that has been filed
against him. Shine is presently remanded in custody because he has been
unable
to pay bail of 10,000 birr (approx. US$1,200) for a previous charge. That
charge
alleged that he violated Article 10(1) and (20) of Press Proclamation no.
34/1985 E.C. and Article 9(1) of special Criminal Code Proclamation no.
214/1974, which was issued under the military government twenty years ago.
The
amount of bail that will be imposed on Melese when he appears in court in
May is
not known.

In a separate case, Gezaw Taye Wordofa, editor-in-chief of "Lamrot"
newspaper,
is currently remanded in custody for failing to provide bail of 2,000 birr
(approx. US$240), the amount imposed by the Federal High Court (see IFEX
alerts
of 26 and 20 March 2002).

In yet another case, Kidushabet Belachew, the editor-in-chief of "Mebrek"
newspaper who has been charged with violating the Press Proclamation and the
Penal Code, reported to the Central Investigation Department on 29 March and
made a statement to the police. He was released upon providing bail of 5,000
birr (approx. US$600). Belachew was ordered to appear before the Second
Criminal
Bench of the Federal High Court on 23 April.

For the past two years, the act of summoning members of the free press to
the
Central Investigation Department, forcing them to give statements and
bringing
them to court on multiple charges filed against them by the prosecutor had
subsided. Lately, however, these acts have resumed with greater intensity
and
vigour. Moreover, the amount of bail being imposed by the court has greatly
increased. EFJA is greatly concerned over these recent developments. The
organisation feels that unless the government and the pertinent authorities
take
the necessary measures to curb the exorbitant bail amounts imposed on the
free
press, its very existence and well-being, a key element in democratic
societies,
will be put into jeopardy.

For further information, contact Kifle Mulat, President, EFJA, P.O. Box
31317 /
33232, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, tel/fax: +251 1 55 50 21, mobile: +251 1 (09)
222
939, e-mail: [email protected], [email protected]

The information contained in this alert update is the sole responsibility of
EFJA. In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit
EFJA.
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