Human Rights Watch called on Ethiopian authorities Monday to end their harassment of independent journalists amid recent arbitrary arrests. Laetitia Bader, HRW’s deputy Africa director, said the crackdown seeks to prevent public scrutiny and muzzle critical reporting across Ethiopia.
The government did not immediately respond to AFP’s request for comment, leaving questions about the motives behind the detentions unanswered. On September 3, three Sheger FM journalists were arrested after covering protesting health workers demanding higher wages and better conditions.
The Ethiopian Media Authority had ordered the station to remove the broadcast, accusing it of bias and inciting violence, HRW said. Although the station complied, security forces still detained the reporters, releasing only one so far, according to HRW statements.
This crackdown comes ahead of elections scheduled for June 2026, raising concerns about shrinking civil space and press freedom. In April, police briefly detained three Addis Standard staff after raiding the English-language online daily’s offices without explanation.
An Ethiopian journalist in exile described the country’s media climate as terrifying, warning that repression against independent reporting is intensifying. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was initially praised in 2018 for expanding civil liberties after decades of Tigray People’s Liberation Front rule.
Rights groups, however, say he abandoned those promises, particularly after Ethiopia descended into a brutal civil war beginning in 2020. Ethiopia now ranks 145th out of 180 countries in RSF’s press freedom index, dropping four places since 2024, the watchdog reported.
RSF noted that eight journalists remain imprisoned, highlighting the persistent dangers faced by independent media across the country.