The US based international media freedom advocacy group, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on Saturday called on Ethiopian authorities to release independent journalist, Gobeze Sisay.
“Ethiopian authorities have brazenly reached across borders to silence and retaliate against journalist Gobeze Sisay. His arrest will instill fear in all the journalists who have fled the country, seeking safety in exile,” said CPJ’s sub-Saharan Africa representative, Muthoki Mumo in a press statement.
Muthoki called on authorities in Ethiopia and Djibouti to shed light on the murky circumstances surrounding Sisay’s arrest and rendition.
CPJ also said it has received an email statement from the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) confirming Interpol has played no role in Sisay’s initial arrest in Djibouti and subsequent extradition to Ethiopia.
“Interpol has no information about Sisay in its databases and isn’t empowered to arrest or extradite individuals,” CPJ stated about the emailed reply it received from Interpol.
Ethiopian authorities had claimed they had received help from Interpol in the initial manhunt and subsequent arrest of Sisay.
Last week, the Ethiopian Security and Intelligence Joint Task Force (ESIJT) announced the arrest of Sisay.
In a statement, the ESIJT said Sisaywas among a list of 11 suspects wanted by security forces.
Sisay an independent journalist who has previously worked for media outlets like Ethiopia Satellite TV (ESAT) and online media outlet, Yegna tv had recently co-founded another online based media outlet, the Voice of Amhara.
He is also one of the co-founders of the Ethiopia Mass Media Professionals Association (EMMPA), the biggest journalism association in the country bringing together state and private media journalists.
Sisay had previously been detained several times by security forces in the last one-year period.
MG/abj/APA