Six members of blogging group Zone 9
and three other journalists could face terrorism charges in one of the world's
deadliest countries for journalists
“We blog because we care!” This is the slogan
and rallying cry of Zone 9, a group of young Ethiopians writing about social
and political issues in their country. For over two months however,
blogging has been out of the question for most of them. In late April, six
members of the group – which takes its name from an area of Addis Ababa’s
notorious Kaliti prison, where several journalists are jailed – were arrested and have been detained since.
Befeqadu Hailu, Abel Wabela, Atnaf
Berahane, Natnael Feleke, Mahlet Fantahun, Zelalem Kibret – all between the age
of 25 and 32 – have been accused of “working with foreign organisations” and
“receiving finance to incite public violence through social media”, but have
yet to be formally charged. Journalists Edom Kassaye, Tesfalem Weldeyes and
Asemamaw Hailegiorgis were also arrested for their alleged links to Zone 9.
The story of the case so far, as
covered by the blog Justice Matters,
makes for worrying reading. The group were initially taken to Maekelawi
detention centre, where according to Human Rights Watch, political prisoners have
been tortured. They have been prevented from communicating with lawyers and
family members. Hearings have predominantly served to extend the police’s
investigation period. Police have also appeared to move away from accusing them
of conspiring with foreign organisations and towards a terrorism charge, under
which other journalists have been sentenced.
Zone 9 have been active since May
2012 and this is not the first time the group has attracted the attention of
the authorities. According to their Facebook page, their mission is
to provide an “alternative independent narration of the socio-political
conditions in Ethiopia and thereby foster public discourse that will result in
emergence of ideas for the betterment of the Nation”. They have organised
online campaigns, including #EthiopianDream, encouraging their
fellow citizens to share messages “question[ing] themselves and discuss[ing]
their dream for the country”.
Their work has proved unpopular with
the government of Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, who came to power
following the death of long-time leader Meles Zenawi in 2012. The country’s
leadership has continuously come under international criticism for its abysmal record on free expression and other
human rights.
The majority of media is
state-controlled or sympathetic to the government, with critical news outlets
and journalists routinely targeted. Ethiopia is the world’s third worst jailer
of the press, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. The sweeping
anti-terrorism legislation put in place in 2009 is often utilised to crack down
on oppositional voices. Journalist Eskinder Nega publicly questioned the law and
its implementation, only to be convicted to 18 years in prison under it in 2012.
Beyond crackdowns on press freedom,
the country’s Muslim community has been hounded by the government, opposition
protests are regularly banned, and foreign NGOs are not allowed to work on
political and human rights issues.
Zone 9 was set up against this
backdrop, and the group soon discovered the, too, were seen as a threat. The
blog has been blocked and members have faced harassed at the hands of
security services. Last September they took what would end up being a
seven-month hiatus from publishing, due to the pressures connected to running
the site. The six were arrested only days after announcing that they were to
resume blogging.
Despite the fact that internet
penetration in Ethiopia currently stands at around 1 per cent, authorities
seems very aware of the web’s potential as a platform for free expression
and, in turn, dissent. Paul Brown of BBC Monitoring believes the Zone 9
arrests “suggest that the government is taking online activism seriously –
probably because elections are due next year.” There have even been reports of the government
“training” internet users to post attacks on those who criticise
authorities online and to post messages of support for the regime.
Zone 9 co-founder Endalkachew
H/Michael recently spoke to CPJ from New York; he left Ethiopia to study in the
US shortly before his colleagues were arrested. He says the government are
trying to control the flow of
information. “There is no plurality of voices in government and media. And
they want to control that because there is a sort of plurality on the internet.
If you go into the Ethiopian social media sphere, you see all kinds of comments
about the government and opposition groups,” he explains.
The government, meanwhile, has
denied any wrongdoing, saying the arrests are not connected to journalism but
“serious criminal activity”.
“We don’t crack down on journalism
or freedom of speech. But if someone tries to use his or her profession to
engage in criminal activities, then there is a distinction
there,” Getachew Reda, an adviser to the prime minister told Reuters.
But the story has drawn widespread
condemnation, from international human rights organisations to news
outlets to diplomats, with even US Secretary of State John Kerry calling it a
“serious issue”. The hash tag #FreeZone9Bloggers has in the past few weeks
accumulated outrage and solidarity from across the world. Endalkachew H/Michael
says this attention in important. “I want the public to remain focused on this
issue. The government is trying to make the public forget the human rights
violations and journalists’ poor situation in Ethiopia.”
Source: indexoncensorship
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