Ethiopia has been designated as the worst in Africa for the incarceration of journalists, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
Six journalists in Ethiopia are detained—five of whom are facing “terrorism” charges that could end up in death sentences, a report released by the CPJ said.
The arrests coincided with an armed conflict in the Amhara region, where authorities have reportedly targeted “civilians, civil servants, academics, and journalists” as part of operations to dismantle “armed groups and their alleged supporters,” said the report released on Thursday.
CPJ highlighted that Ethiopian authorities frequently employ “often-vague charges or convictions for terrorism or extremism” to imprison journalists.
Across Africa, Eritrea ranked as the worst offender, with 16 journalists imprisoned since the early 2000s without formal charges. Cameroon and Rwanda followed with five detained each, while Nigeria recorded four.
Globally, China led the list with 50 detained journalists, followed by Israel (43), Myanmar (35), Belarus (31), and Russia (30). CPJ documented at least 361 journalists imprisoned worldwide as of December 1, 2024, marking the second-highest total in its records.
In November 2024, CPJ’s five-year report presented at the UN’s Human Rights Council report revealed a significant decline in press freedom since Ethiopia’s last review.
The report also addressed the lack of accountability in the killings of two journalists, physical assaults on media professionals, forced closures of media outlets, and restrictions on international journalists. “These rankings point to a broader concern.
MG/as/APA