June 29, 201 (ADDIS ABABA) - Reporters Without Borders (RWB) condemned the detention of two journalists, accusing Ethiopia of a long-running pattern of attacks against the private press.

The privately-owned newspaper Awramba Times deputy editor, Woubshet Taye and Feteh columnist, Reeyot Alemu, were arrested on 19 and 21 June 2011 respectively.

According to the Writers in Prison Committee (WiPC) of PEN International, neither has been charged. It is thought that both were arrested under Ethiopia’s 2009 antiterrorism law, on charges of having links with terrorist organisations.

“We call on the Ethiopian government to quickly account for these arrests, which have been carried out in an irregular manner and in which the legal limit for police custody (48 hours) has been exceeded.

“The mystery surrounding their detention is unacceptable. These shady methods suggest a desire to stifle outspoken media and impose a news blackout on government abuses by scaring journalists and pressuring them to censor themselves on a regular basis. We demand their immediate release and the withdrawal of the proceedings against them’’ Reporters Without Borders said.

Ethiopia’s antiterrorism proclamation allows for prison sentences of up to 20 years. Ethiopia’s press law prohibits pre-trial detention of journalists and under the Ethiopian constitution all citizens detained must be charged or released within 48 hours.

“We are very disturbed by these arrests, which seem to have been carried out under an anti-terrorism law adopted in July 2009 and in accordance with a revision of government security policy two weeks ago. By accusing journalists of links with terrorist organizations, the government could be paving the way for repressive measures against independent media that will jeopardize diversity of opinion.”

Ethiopia has recently designated five groups including international terror groups of al-Shabab and al-Qaeda to its terror list under the country’s Anti-terrorism Proclamation.

Following the designation, the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) accused Ethiopia of further curtailing press freedom.

“Ethiopia is a country whose relative stability in the troubled Horn of Africa region is in great part maintained by repression of dissent and ever-increasing restrictions on the freedom of the press. It receives praise and assistance for its participation in U.S. counterterrorism in Somalia, but for Ethiopian journalists, reporting on terrorism (as defined by their government) without risking jail time has become too risky.

‘‘The country’s anti-terrorism law, which criminalizes any reporting deemed to ’encourage’ or ’provide moral support’ to groups and causes which the government considers to be ’terrorist’, has been widely criticized as being vaguely worded and catch-all. It carries sentences of up to 20 years in prison.’’ said CPJ.

According to local reporters, any journalist who covers reports, on the activities of ONLF, OLF or Ginbot7, home grown groups lately designated as terror entities, will be charged under Ethiopia’s anti-terrorism law risking lengthy jail term.

(ST)