(IPI/IFEX) – In a 22 February 2002 letter to Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, IPI strongly condemned the pending charge against the publisher and editor-in-chief of the “Ethio-Time” newspaper and Ethiopian Free Press Journalists’ Association (EFJA) president, Kifle Mulat. According to information provided to IPI, Mulat is facing a decision on 25 February by the First […]
(IPI/IFEX) – In a 22 February 2002 letter to Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, IPI strongly condemned the pending charge against the publisher and editor-in-chief of the “Ethio-Time” newspaper and Ethiopian Free Press Journalists’ Association (EFJA) president, Kifle Mulat.
According to information provided to IPI, Mulat is facing a decision on 25 February by the First Criminal Bench of the Federal High Court in a case that has been pending against him since his release from seven months of arbitrary detention in 1998. An order issued by the Central Investigation Department (CID) alleges that he violated the Press Law. After being arrested, Mulat served seven months in prison, and was placed before court and charged on three different counts. Having produced the bail required for all three charges, his case was adjourned. Two of the charges were later dropped by the First Criminal Bench and the files were closed. The court ruled last year that the case of the remaining charge should remain open.
The offence Mulat is being charged for is the violation of Article 10(1), 20(1) of Press Proclamation No. 34/84, and Article 480 (1) of the Penal Code. In his capacity as the publisher and editor-in-chief of the “Ethio-Time” newspaper, Mulat has been accused of “failing to fulfil his obligation to ensure that the contents of material or information he disseminates in his newspaper are free from legal accountability”, and of having “published material that disseminated fabricated information against the state and [of] spreading information that foments anger in public opinion”.
The prosecution of Mulat is in clear breach of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states, “Everyone has the right toâ¦seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media”, and to which Ethiopia is unequivocally a signatory.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the prime minister:
– calling on him to do everything in his power to ensure that the remaining charge against Mulat be dropped immediately and unconditionally, thereby ensuring that the principles of press freedom are guaranteed in Ethiopia, and concurrently, maintaining Ethiopia’s good standing in the international community
Appeals To
His Excellency Meles Zenawi
Prime Minister
C/o National Parliament
Addis Ababa
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Fax: +2511 552 020
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
