. Number of journalists killed, jailed rising globally
ADDIS ABABA- The special report of Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) indicated that no journalists found in jail in relation to their work in Ethiopia for the first time since 2004. On the other hand, the number of journalists killed and jailed across the globe for doing their jobs has risen in 2018, said Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
CPJ special annual report also revealed that no journalists jailed in relation to their work in Ethiopia for the first time after fourteen years at the time of CPJ’s annual census. No Ethiopian journalists are in jail, according to our 2018 annual census, Elana Beiser, editorial director of CPJ said. According to news report, for the third year in a row, more than 251 journalists are in jail around the world, suggesting the authoritarian approach to critical news coverage is more than a temporary spike.
On February 2018, Ethiopian government unblocked more than 264 websites including news outlets and blogs and freed all journalists behind bars in 2018. The Diaspora outlets such as Oromia Media Network (OMN), Ethiopian Satellite Television and Radio (ESAT) and other outlets are accessible in Ethiopia after Prime Ministry Dr. Abiy Ahmed came to power.
“Allowing Ethiopians to access these news outlets is a positive sign that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is committed to delivering his promise to end Ethiopia’s censorship of the independent press,” said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Angela Quintal recently.
“We ask the prime minister to now amend laws that restrict free speech and to end a system of surveillance that has long been used to intimidate journalists.” On the other hand, the number of journalists killed and jailed for doing their jobs has risen in 2018, said Reporters Without Borders (RSF). The group said 63 journalists died in relation to their jobs between January 1 and December 1, up from 55 last year.
The figure did not include 13 killed non-professional journalists involved in news production. The majority 49 were targeted because of their reporting threatened the interests of certain people in positions of political, economic or religious power or organized crime,” RSF said. In its annual prison census, CPJ included only those journalists who it has confirmed have been imprisoned in relation to their work.
The Ethiopian Herald, January 3/2019
BY TSEGAYE TILAHUN
