List of detained journalists and activists in Ethiopia (2023)



This is a list of journalists and activists detained in Ethiopia in 2023. CPJ reported that in April 2023 alone, 47 human rights organizations made calls on the government of Ethiopia (Abiy Ahmed Ali) to end internet shut downs and digital communications access.

The current Oromo-led Prosperity Party continued its crackdown against ethnic Amhara and related public defenders in 2023. Various arrests of oppositions and media have already been reported since the government came to power in 2018, and condemned by various international groups.      Most of these detentions and arbitrary arrests are reported as part of government crackdowns. Those still imprisoned prior to 2023 and still detained are also listed in a separately table. Previous arbitrary arrests by the TPLF-dominated EPRDF parties were criticized for abusing the Anti-terrorism Proclamation (ATP) law to limit freedom of the press, silence voices, and persecute members of perceived opponents. Similarly, most of the charges imposed against the 2023 detainees by the Prosperity Party regime are also ATP-related.

Definitions

 * United Nations: According to Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966), "No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention. No one shall be deprived of his liberty except on such grounds and in accordance with such procedure as are established by law."
 * Center for Justice and Accountability: "Arbitrary or unlawful detention occurs when an individual is arrested and detained by a government without due process and without the legal protections of a fair trial, or when an individual is detained without any legal basis for the deprivation of liberty."
 * International human rights instruments: "Everyone has the right to liberty and security of person. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention. No one shall be deprived of his liberty except on such grounds and in accordance with such procedure as are established by law."
 * Harvard Law: "UN Human Rights Committee's General Comment No. 35 summarizes the treaty body's interpretation of the right to liberty of person, including protection against arbitrary detention, under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights is one of the principal human rights treaties at the global level."

Reactions
Amnesty International published a report calling on the government to respect the right to peaceful protest and immediately release detained media staff. The report emphasized that journalists and media workers need to do their work without threat, intimidation and harassment.

Committee to Protect Journalists: Published a series of reports with details of arbitrary arrests of ethnic Amhara journalists and activists, and called for immediate releases.

Ethiopia Human Rights Council: Listed the names of detainees and condemned the mass arrests of media groups and public defenders.

Ethiopian Human Rights Defenders Center (EHRDC): the group called on the Ethiopian government to the immediate release of journalists and to stop the restriction of access to the free flow of information.

List
These Lists are not complete. In May 2022 alone, at least 4000 Amhara dissidents were arrested by the Abiy Prosperity regime, and their status is unknown.

Yidnekachew Kebede (Addis Ababa) (Activist lawyer, Social Media Influencer and Journalist) (Arrested on August 17, 2023 and released on September 1, 2023) (Reason: Part of the crackdown on Amhara activists and cause) https://www.voanews.com/a/ethiopia-arrests-3-journalists-under-new-state-of-emergency/7258701.html