Amnesty International started a campaign asking for the release of Bai Manaye, the journalist who was arrested four months ago, in a letter to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The founder of “Ethio News” YouTube media was arrested by the security forces four months ago on November 3, 2024. has been.
Even though many months have passed since his arrest, Lai Manaye has not been brought to court and the reason for his arrest has not been disclosed and he has not been investigated.
Amnesty International chief Manaye arrested; He said, “Although it is believed to be due to his report on the conflict in the Amhara region, the reason for his arrest has not been disclosed.” The wife of the journalist Lai Manaye told that she did not meet him in person after Lainesh Ngatu was taken to Awash Arba.
“It’s been three months and I haven’t met him in person; I don’t know what kind of situation we are in,” she said. His wife told the BBC that while he was on his way to his home from his office, which is four kilometers away, he was caught by people wearing civilian and federal police uniforms. Belay Manaye spent the 25 days after his arrest at the Federal Police Criminal Investigation Office in Mexico.
From November 28/2024 Since then, he has been transferred to Awash Arba military training center in Afar region. His wife told the BBC that in the 30 months since Lai Manaye moved to Awash Arba, they had only been in contact by phone.
According to Amnesty International’s emergency declaration, the Ethiopian government has “arbitrarily arrested seven other journalists and released some” in response to the conflict in the Amhara region.
Amnesty posted a message on its website about the campaign; “Ethiopian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Lai Manaye and two other journalists who are in prison due to the declaration of emergency,” he urged. The rights activist added that the Ethiopian authorities used the state of emergency declared in July last year to “suppress the press and peaceful protests”.
Amnesty said that while other detainees, including Bai Manaye, were injured when the Awash Arba military camp was hit by a typhoon, Bai did not receive medical treatment for his injuries.