Ethiopia ranked 150th in world press freedom index

ESAT News (April 27, 2017)

Ethiopia ranked 150th out of 180 countries in the 2017 press freedom index rankings by Reporters Without Borders.

The press freedom organization said the Ethiopian regime systematically  uses the country’s anti-terror law against journalists.

“Terrorism charges have been systematically used against journalists ever since the 2009 terrorism law took effect. The charges carry long jail sentences and allow the authorities to hold journalists without trial for extended periods,” the 2017 press freedom report said.

The report said “There has been little improvement since the purges that led to the closure of six newspapers in 2014 and drove around 30 journalists into exile.”

Reporters Without Borders recalled in its latest report that the state of emergency declared in October 2016 had also banned Ethiopians from looking at independent media outlets based abroad.

A dozen journalists remain in jail in Ethiopia falsely charged with terrorism and inciting violence.