Join the call for the release of Ethiopian journalist and blogger Eskinder Nega who was sentenced to 18 years in prison on 13 July 2012 on bogus terrorism charges. His case is still pending appeal, so please act now!
Sign the petition!
Sign this petition started by PEN American Center demanding the Ethiopian authorities release journalist and blogger Eskinder Nega from prison in Addis Ababa, and drop the bogus terrorism charges against him. Appeals in the case continue.
Click here for recent news from the case: Eskinder Nega and the struggle for independent media in Ethiopia (Electronic Frontier Foundation).
Background Info
Writers in Prison Committee of PEN International is appalled by the 18 year prison sentence handed down to the Ethiopian journalist and blogger, Eskinder Nega on 13 July 2012. Nega was convicted on highly dubious terrorism-related charges on 27 June 2012. The WiPC and other press and free expression groups believe that Nega was charged and convicted because of his critical reporting. The WiPC calls on the Ethiopian authorities to throw out the sentence and free Eskinder Nega.
Nega was the recipient of the PEN American Center 2012 PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award in April 2012. He was arrested in September 2011, after publishing a column that questioned the government’s claim that a number of journalists it had detained were suspected terrorists; he also criticized the arrest of well-known Ethiopian actor and government critic Debebe Eshetu. For further information on Nega, please see here.
During his trial, the judge reportedly accused Nega of using ‘the guise of freedom’ to ‘attempt to incite violence and overthrow the constitutional order.’ According to news reports, the judge claimed that Nega wanted to spark a popular revolt in the style of the Arab Spring. Nega was also accused of having links with Ginbot 7, a group regarded as a terrorist organization by the Ethiopian authorities.
Ethiopia’s anti-terror legislation is draconian. Actions classified as ‘terrorist’ would often not even be considered crimes outside of Ethiopia. Since November 2011, at least 11 journalists have been charged with terrorism.
BBC Radio recently aired a report on Eskinder Nega, in which Larry Siems of PEN American Center features. Listen to it here (starts around 19 minutes in).
Please send appeals:
• Protesting the conviction on terrorism-related charges of Eskinder Nega, and his outrageously heavy sentence of 18 years in jail;
• Expressing concern that the Nega has been tried, convicted and sentenced purely in relation to his peaceful journalistic activity, in violation of the right to freedom of expression protected under international human rights treaties to which Ethiopia is a party, including the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.
Appeals to:
Minister of Justice
Berhanu Hailu
Ministry of Justice
P.O. Box 1370
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Fax: +251 11 551 7775/ 7755
Email: justice (@) telecom.net.et, ministry-justice (@) telecom.net.et
Salutation: Dear Minister
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Mr Seyoum Mesfin
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
PO Box 393
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Fax: +251 11 551 43 00
Email: mfa.addis (@) telecom.net.et
Salutation: Dear Minister
Please also send a copy of your letter to your nearest Ethiopian diplomatic representative (the contact details for some Ethiopian embassies are listed here: http://www.embassyworld.com/embassy/Ethiopia/Ethiopia1.html).
