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October 04, 2024 – Ethiopia –
Yeshihasab Abera, deputy editor at the state-owned Bekur newspaper in Bahir Dar, Amhara region, was forcefully taken from his office by Ethiopian security forces. His whereabouts have remained unknown since his transfer to a detention facility in Dangila. Authorities have refused to disclose any charges or allow communication with legal counsel or family, raising alarm among press freedom advocates.
Abera’s arrest occurred amid a broader government offensive in Amhara targeting civilians, academics, and media professionals under the guise of “law enforcement operations” following the integration of regional militias into federal forces in April 2023. Thousands have reportedly been detained in operations characterized by opaque prosecutions and heavy-handed tactics.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)—whose Africa division highlighted Abera’s case on October 4—demanded immediate clarification and access to legal representation, warning that failed intervention could lead to enforced disappearance. CPJ emphasized that as a state-media journalist, Abera’s detention appears arbitrary and contradictory to Ethiopia’s constitutional protections for freedom of expression.
Despite nominal press protections under Article 29 of the 1995 FDRE constitution, enforcement has been undermined by sweeping anti-terrorism and media laws implemented since 2008. These laws have enabled frequent detention of journalists, with Ethiopia frequently listed among Africa’s worst offenders in imprisoning media workers.
Abera isn’t an isolated case. His detention follows a series of government actions against journalists and outlets: raids on the private Addis Standard, arrests of YouTube co-founder Belay Manaye, and Facebook host Muhiyadin Mohamed Abdullahi. These actions form part of a systemic campaign of intimidation and legal harassment under broad security pretexts.
The situation in Amhara, where a state of emergency curtails movement, speech, and political assembly, signals a broader national trend of shrinking space for independent journalism. CPJ has urged the Ethiopian government to immediately release Yeshihasab Abera or transparently charge him under due process, end arbitrary detentions of media workers, and comply with both national constitutional and international press freedom norms.
Abera’s case starkly highlights the precarious position of journalists—even those affiliated with state media—within Ethiopia’s increasingly repressive, security-driven political landscape.
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