Trial of journalists not against freedom of expression- Ethiopian minister
Dec 10, 2005 (ADDIS ABABA) — Minister of Information Berhan Hailu said bringing journalists to the justice is not contrary to press freedom in the country. Hailu qualified journalists of “culprits”.
The minister further said leaving them alone would endanger the constitutional system.
The November unrest was the second round of deadly election-related violence and both times the government has responded by rounding up opposition figures and journalists seen as sympathetic to their cause.
In an interview he gave to Zemen, the magazine of the Ministry of Information, Berhan said considering moves such as bringing unlawful persons before justice as contrary to freedom of expression is ridiculous.
Berhan said owners and chief editors of some of the private press have been apprehended by police with a belief that they were involved in instigating the street violence that recently occurred in Addis Ababa and other parts of the country.
According to the minister, the police and the public have evidence that the private press owners and chief editors under custody have been advocating the agenda of opposition political parties in addition to playing a part in instigating riot.
Hence, the minister said, putting those culprits under custody is respecting the constitutional system of the country and not in any way against freedom of expression.
None of the other detained journalists have yet been charged although Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has said they may be tried for treason.
An international press freedom watchdog on Thursday 8 December condemned the conviction and eight-month prison sentence handed down to an Ethiopian newspaper editor under the country’s tough media laws.
The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said it was “outraged” by Tuesday’s Federal High Court conviction of Wosonseged Gebrekidan who was accused of defaming an Ethiopian diplomat in a 2002 opinion piece.
It said the verdict and sentence were part of an ongoing campaign of repression against independent media in Ethiopia, launched in part after political unrest erupted after disputed elections earlier this year.
(ST/ENA)