Three court hearings for six detained bloggers & three independent journalists took place on 17-18 May 2014 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. During the first two hearings, the court adjourned trials of three of the detained bloggers- Atnaf Berhane, Natnail Feleke, Zelalem Kibret as well as three journalists Edom Kassaye, Tesfalem Waldyes and Asmamaw Hailegiorgis for […]
Ethiopia’s ‘villagisation’ scheme fails to bear fruit
The orderly village of Agulodiek in Ethiopia‘s western Gambella region stands in stark contrast to Elay, a settlement 5km west of Gambella town, where collapsed straw huts strewn with cracked clay pots lie among a tangle of bushes. Agulodiek is a patch of land where families gradually gathered of their own accord, while Elay is […]
Reforms needed ahead of elections in 2015
Ethiopia’s next national elections are set to take place in May 2015. Now is the time to commence political reforms designed to avoid a repeat of flawed elections in 2010 (national) and 2013 (local). In both years, EPRDF totally controlled the electoral process, capturing more than 99 percent of the legislative seats nationwide. Elections provide […]
Ethiopia’s Application for EITI Candidature Approved
The governing board of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) board met in Oslo on March 19, 2014 and approved the Government of Ethiopia (GOE) application for EITI candidature to its global standard on transparent management of oil, gas and mineral resources. While announcing the approval, EITI Chair, Clare Short said that she was pleased […]
Report Calls On Ethiopia to Reform Repressive Anti-Terror Law
Ethiopia’s use of a sweeping anti-terrorism laws to imprison critical journalists is hindering the development of free and independent media in the Africa’s second largest country, according to the report on World Press Freedom Review (2012-2013) recently published by the International Press Institute (IPI). Dozens of journalists, independent bloggers and political activists have been arrested […]