March 22, 2002

REPRESSION AGAINST JOURNALISTS ON THE RISE

The editor in chief of ETHIOP magazine, MELESE SHINE, has been denied bail and sent to jail till March 26 as the EPRDF steps up its illegal and repressive actions against the independent journalists. Meles Shine is accused of publishing articles which are injurious to the name of the Prime Minister and of conducting an interview with a leader of an opposition organization. While the precise accusations appear as smokescreens, the EPRDF drive against ETHIOP seems to be motivated by the desire to silence the daring magazine which had boldly published interviews with and articles by strong critics of the EPRDF in power.

The denial of bail also indicates a change of tact on the side of the EPRDF and its intention of keeping detained journalists behind bars for as long as possible. In the past, setting a high bail was employed for this purpose of keeping journalists in jail for long. It is to be noted that the Ethiopian Free Journalists Association has issued several communiqués and press alerts condemning the ongoing stepped up repression against the journalists not working for the EPRDF. As its political problems intensify and worries about the possible consequences of the Hague Court ruling on border demarcation with Eritrea (in April) afflicts the EPRDF, there seems to be a determined decision to silence any possible critics. ETHIOP magazine and other such papers are thus the obvious targets.

 SOCEPP expresses its solidarity with the EFJA and its members and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Melese Shine who is detained for exercising a basic free press right.

 SOCEPP calls on all friends of the free press in Ethiopia to vigorously condemn the repression unleashed by the EPRDF and to contribute financially to the bail fund of the EFJA.

SOCEPP