(EFJA/IFEX) – On 25 January 2002, Zekarias Tesfaye, the publisher of the Amharic private weekly newspaper “Netsanet”, was arrested and detained by plainclothes police and security officers while having lunch with friends at a hotel. He was taken to the Central Investigation Office in a land cruiser with plate No. Code 2-39418. After making a […]
(EFJA/IFEX) – On 25 January 2002, Zekarias Tesfaye, the publisher of the Amharic private weekly newspaper “Netsanet”, was arrested and detained by plainclothes police and security officers while having lunch with friends at a hotel. He was taken to the Central Investigation Office in a land cruiser with plate No. Code 2-39418.
After making a statement to the police, the publisher was released that evening on bail of Birr 5,000 (approx. US$600).
The journalist was accused of “defamation and publishing fabricated news in his newspaper in relation to business tycoon and investor Shekh Mohammed Al-Amoudi”. His trial date is still unknown.