(EFJA/IFEX) – The following is a 14 February 2003 EFJA statement: Hunting down of news vendors must stop Vendors of Ethiopian free press publications have told us that they are being hunted down and detained, and their newspapers are being snatched from them by police. The police are engaged in such acts at a time […]
(EFJA/IFEX) – The following is a 14 February 2003 EFJA statement:
Hunting down of news vendors must stop
Vendors of Ethiopian free press publications have told us that they are being hunted down and detained, and their newspapers are being snatched from them by police. The police are engaged in such acts at a time when local and foreign journalists, publishers and media professionals have strongly protested against the new draft press law that has been made public by the Ministry of Information. The police action infringes upon human rights and the right of citizens to earn their living by working.
Security forces are intimidating the free press, detaining news vendors and taking away their newspapers just after Ethiopian free press journalists, publishers and media professionals came together at a joint forum where they examined the unconstitutional content of the new draft press law, and issued a strong joint position statement. The actions taken by the security forces are not only disappointing but constitute an undemocratic and vengeful practice.
We call on all those who stand for the cause of peace, democracy and the rule of law to denounce the actions that the Ethiopian government has taken, make their voices heard and urge the government to refrain from taking such a course of action.
The Ethiopian Free Press Journalists’ Association (EFJA) kindly requests that H.E. Ato Meles Zenawi, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) prime minister, and the House of Peoples Representation give due attention to and stop the illegal measures being taken against the free press and thereby meet their national and constitutional obligations.
EFJA takes this opportunity to call on journalists, publishers and media professionals to continue their peaceful struggle to ensure the respect of their human, democratic and constitutional rights.
Kifle Mulat
President
Ethiopian Free Press Journalists’ Association (EFJA)
February 14, 2003
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
– protesting such illegal actions
Appeals To
H.E. Ato Meles Zenawi
Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Fax: +251 1 55 20 20
H.E. Ato Bereket Simon
Minister of Information
Fax: +251 1 53 35 10
E-mail: Minoi@telecom.net.et
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
