Artists who produce work that criticizes the government, addresses political issues, or advocates for social change often face scrutiny. This can result in censorship, harassment, arrest, or worse. For example, musicians and writers have been detained for lyrics or writings deemed subversive.
Although the Ethiopian constitution guarantees freedom of expression, in practice, this right is frequently curtailed. The government has a history of limiting press freedom, and similar constraints apply to artistic expression. This limits the ability of artists to freely express their ideas and critique societal issues.
A call to the government to stop the pressure on artists and professionals
“Suppression of art is a threat to freedom of thought. A call to the government to stop the pressure on artists and professionals.
“Suppressing art is an attack on freedom of thought, so it should be properly protected” (Jared Hailemariam, Executive Director of the Ethiopian Human Rights Defenders Center)