In the year On November 13, 2023, Belay Manaye, the founder of Ethio News and a YouTube news channel presenter, was arrested in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital, by uniformed police officers and other security personnel wearing civilian clothes. So far, it is believed that he is related to the report on the conflict in the Amhara region, but the reason for his arrest and detention has not been disclosed. According to the emergency declaration, the Ethiopian government has arbitrarily arrested seven other journalists and released some in response to the conflict in the Amhara region. The Ethiopian authorities must immediately release Balai Manaye and the other two journalists who are in prison for their work under the state of emergency.
The state of emergency gave the government additional powers to ban public gatherings, declare curfews, shut down the media and arrest people suspected of crimes against the government to “maintain the peace and tranquility of the people” Amhara National Regional Government.
Fano militias of the Amhara region have been fighting with federal forces since April following the federal government’s controversial decision to merge regional militias into the federal army. The Fanos previously cooperated with the federal government in a civil war in northern Ethiopia that ended in a peace accord in November 2022.
The state of emergency, reviewed by CPJ, gives security officials broad arrest powers and curbs due process, including the right to legal counsel before appearing in court. Normally, Article 19 of the Ethiopian constitution stipulates that the police must bring arrested persons to court within 48 hours.
the founder of Ethio News, Mr. Belay, produced two daily news programs on the television station and reported the conflict in the Amhara region in detail.
CPJ reported that seven other journalists who were covering the Amhara conflict were arrested in the weeks after the declaration of emergency.
This is not the first arrest of a superior. In the year In July 2020, authorities arrested Lain, two of his colleagues, and a former Amhara Satellite Radio and Television (Asrat) colleague on charges of inciting violence. 46 days later, Ato Bai was released on bail without charge, according to press releases posted on X, former Twitter and Addis Standard.
Federal Police Spokesperson Jaylan Abdi said in an emailed statement that he cannot comment on the arrest of Mr. Belay and other journalists under the state of emergency, and the CPJ has forwarded it to the command post established to monitor the state of emergency.
