Ethiopia: Court denies bail to journalist detained as “terrorist”

Getachew Shiferaw

ESAT News (February 13, 2017)

An appellate court in Addis Ababa denied bail to Getachew Shiferaw held under the country’s anti-terrorism law on bogus charges of having links and working with opposition political groups abroad.

The appellate court denied bail saying the journalist is a flight risk and has no permanent residence.

International rights groups decry the Ethiopian regime is using its anti-terrorism law to squash dissent and muzzle freedom of speech and of the press.

Getachew Shiferaw was accused of communicating over social media with Patriotic Ginbot 7, an opposition group outlawed by the tyrannical regime. He was also accused of having interviews with foreign based Ethiopian media, including ESAT.

Prior to his arrest, Getachews was editor-in-chief of Negere Ethiopia newspaper and founding member of Ethiopian Journalists Forum, among others.