April 19 2025
In a move widely condemned by press freedom advocates, federal police in Ethiopia carried out a coordinated raid on April 17 targeting both the home of a senior IT staff member and the offices of Addis Standard, a prominent tri-lingual publication by JAKENN Publishing PLC. The operation resulted in the detention of staff members and the seizure of a large quantity of electronic equipment vital to the outlet’s operations.
The early-morning raid began at 5:00 AM with the forced detention of an IT staff member from their home. According to a statement released by JAKENN Publishing, the employee was physically mishandled and coerced into signing documents under duress, while security forces confiscated personal and work-related devices including laptops, phones, and external hard drives.
By mid-morning, the operation extended to Addis Standard’s headquarters, where federal police detained two additional senior staff members and seized numerous devices — including laptops, mobile phones, desktop computers, flash disks, and CPUs — without any formal notice or warrant. The detained individuals were interrogated for hours and released later that evening.
In a public notice issued by the publisher, JAKENN Publishing expressed deep concern about the continued confiscation of critical equipment. “While our main digital credentials remain secure, we cannot guarantee the integrity of any messages or emails sent from the compromised devices,” the statement read. The organization warned of the risks of impersonation, misinformation, or fabricated charges stemming from potential manipulation of data on the seized devices.
The company emphasized that the timing of the raid — on the eve of the Easter holiday — appears strategic, aimed at isolating the newsroom and delaying its ability to respond. “This action threatens not just the safety of our staff but the very foundation of press freedom in Ethiopia,” the statement continued.
Despite the pressures, JAKENN reaffirmed its commitment to legal and peaceful resistance, vowing to pursue all avenues to ensure the safe return of its equipment and the protection of its journalists.
This latest development underscores growing concerns about the repression of independent media in Ethiopia, where journalists have increasingly faced surveillance, harassment, and intimidation in recent years. Advocacy groups are calling for urgent international attention and solidarity to safeguard journalistic freedom and democratic accountability in the country.
By Muluken Teklyohannes
