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54 Days In Prison And Counting For Ethiopia’s Zone 9 Bloggers | International Political Forum

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It has been 54 days since six members of the Zone Nine blogging collective  and three journalists believed to be associated with the group were arrested  in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The group formed in 2012 in an effort to report on and increase public discussion about political and social issues affecting a diverse cross-section of Ethiopian society.

On their Facebook page, they describe themselves  as young Ethiopians seeking to use fact-based reporting and analysis to create a new, more nuanced narrative of life in Ethiopia today:

Zone9 is an informal group of young Ethiopian bloggers working together to create an alternative independent narration of the socio-political conditions in Ethiopia and thereby foster public discourse that will result in emergence of ideas for the betterment of the Nation

The bloggers have appeared in court four times since their arrest on April 25, 2014  — their next court date has been set for July 12, 2014. Each time, police have asked for more time to carry out their investigation of the group. Although they have been informally accused of “working with foreign organizations that claim to be human rights activists and agreeing in idea and receiving finance to incite public violence through social media,” they have been issued no formal charges as of yet. Close friends and allies of the group fear that they will be charged with terrorism, similar to journalists Eskinder Nega  and Reeyot Alemu , both Ethiopian journalists who have been in prison since 2011.

Following their arrest, Global Voices Online released a statement  calling for their release, invited supporters  to join the #FreeZone9Bloggers campaign through letter-writing and online efforts, and organised the FreeZone9Bloggers Tweetathon  on May 14, 2014.

As the Zone9 bloggers continue to languish in jail, the Ethiopian government is allegedly training bloggers  to attack those who criticise the government online:

The Ethiopian Government is trying to reduce online criticism by training recruits to attack information on the web that are critical of its administration, the Ethiopian Satellite Television Service (ESAT) reported.

According to the report, in the second round of new recruits, 235 bloggers were trained in Adama on Facebook and other social media sites on how to shape public opinion by posting comments and documents that support the regime.

The training was given to selected people from different ethnic groups who support the regime, and that the trainees report directly to government officials, ESAT said.

So far, the trainees have opened 2,350 Facebook, Twitter and blog accounts to show the Ethiopian regime in a favorable light, and to criticize anti-government articles, websites, the Ethiopian opposition and the Eritrean government

Nigerian British YouTube comedian Ikenna Azuike  dedicated an episode  of his satirical news show “What’s Up Africa” to the bloggers’ plight. In ”Zone 9 Bloggers Paradise in Ethiopia,” he jests:

Just because [Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn] ordered the arrest of nine people who happen to be bloggers and journalists doesn’t mean this is part of the biggest crackdown on dissent since the 2005 post-election mass arrests

.

Why is the Ethiopian government afraid of bloggers? Alemayehu G. Mariam explained :

“Four hostile newspapers are more to be feared than a thousand bayonets,” fretted Napoleon Bonaparte, dictator of France, as he declared war on that country’s independent press. For the regime in Ethiopia, the pens and computer keyboards of a handful of independent journalists and bloggers are more to be feared than ten thousand bayonets mounted on AK-47s. All dictators and tyrants in history have feared the enlightening powers of the independent press. The benighted dictators in Ethiopia fear the enlightening powers of an independent press more than the firepower of several fully equipped infantry divisions.

Total control of the media and suppression of independent journalists remains the wicked obsession of the regime. They believe that by controlling the flow of information, they can control the hearts and minds of the people. They believe they can fabricate truth out of falsehood by controlling the media. By crushing the independent press, they believe they can fool all of the people all of the time. But they know deep down in their stone cold hearts that “truth will not forever remain on the scaffold, nor wrong remain forever on the throne.” They live each day in the land of living lies fearful of losing their throne.

The author continued :

The E bloggers and journalists are special Ethiopian heroes and heroines. They are truth-tellers and -warriors. They fight tyranny with their pens and computer keyboards. Their ammunition are truth, words, ideas, facts and opinions. They slay falsehoods with the sword of truth. They chase bad ideas with good ones and advocate replacing old ideas with new ones. They fight the people’s despair with words of hope. They teach the people that fear is overcome with acts of courage. They fight ignorance and powerful ignoramuses with knowledge and reason. They stand up to arrogance and hubris with defiant humility. They seek to transform intolerance with forbearance; resist oppression with perseverance and defeat doubt with faith. They fight with their pens and keyboards on the battleground that is the hearts and minds of the Ethiopian people.

54 Days In Prison And Counting For Ethiopia’s Zone 9 Bloggers | International Political Forum

0

It has been 54 days since six members of the Zone Nine blogging collective  and three journalists believed to be associated with the group were arrested  in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The group formed in 2012 in an effort to report on and increase public discussion about political and social issues affecting a diverse cross-section of Ethiopian society.

On their Facebook page, they describe themselves  as young Ethiopians seeking to use fact-based reporting and analysis to create a new, more nuanced narrative of life in Ethiopia today:

Zone9 is an informal group of young Ethiopian bloggers working together to create an alternative independent narration of the socio-political conditions in Ethiopia and thereby foster public discourse that will result in emergence of ideas for the betterment of the Nation

The bloggers have appeared in court four times since their arrest on April 25, 2014  — their next court date has been set for July 12, 2014. Each time, police have asked for more time to carry out their investigation of the group. Although they have been informally accused of “working with foreign organizations that claim to be human rights activists and agreeing in idea and receiving finance to incite public violence through social media,” they have been issued no formal charges as of yet. Close friends and allies of the group fear that they will be charged with terrorism, similar to journalists Eskinder Nega  and Reeyot Alemu , both Ethiopian journalists who have been in prison since 2011.

Following their arrest, Global Voices Online released a statement  calling for their release, invited supporters  to join the #FreeZone9Bloggers campaign through letter-writing and online efforts, and organised the FreeZone9Bloggers Tweetathon  on May 14, 2014.

As the Zone9 bloggers continue to languish in jail, the Ethiopian government is allegedly training bloggers  to attack those who criticise the government online:

The Ethiopian Government is trying to reduce online criticism by training recruits to attack information on the web that are critical of its administration, the Ethiopian Satellite Television Service (ESAT) reported.

According to the report, in the second round of new recruits, 235 bloggers were trained in Adama on Facebook and other social media sites on how to shape public opinion by posting comments and documents that support the regime.

The training was given to selected people from different ethnic groups who support the regime, and that the trainees report directly to government officials, ESAT said.

So far, the trainees have opened 2,350 Facebook, Twitter and blog accounts to show the Ethiopian regime in a favorable light, and to criticize anti-government articles, websites, the Ethiopian opposition and the Eritrean government

Nigerian British YouTube comedian Ikenna Azuike  dedicated an episode  of his satirical news show “What’s Up Africa” to the bloggers’ plight. In ”Zone 9 Bloggers Paradise in Ethiopia,” he jests:

Just because [Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn] ordered the arrest of nine people who happen to be bloggers and journalists doesn’t mean this is part of the biggest crackdown on dissent since the 2005 post-election mass arrests

.

Why is the Ethiopian government afraid of bloggers? Alemayehu G. Mariam explained :

“Four hostile newspapers are more to be feared than a thousand bayonets,” fretted Napoleon Bonaparte, dictator of France, as he declared war on that country’s independent press. For the regime in Ethiopia, the pens and computer keyboards of a handful of independent journalists and bloggers are more to be feared than ten thousand bayonets mounted on AK-47s. All dictators and tyrants in history have feared the enlightening powers of the independent press. The benighted dictators in Ethiopia fear the enlightening powers of an independent press more than the firepower of several fully equipped infantry divisions.

Total control of the media and suppression of independent journalists remains the wicked obsession of the regime. They believe that by controlling the flow of information, they can control the hearts and minds of the people. They believe they can fabricate truth out of falsehood by controlling the media. By crushing the independent press, they believe they can fool all of the people all of the time. But they know deep down in their stone cold hearts that “truth will not forever remain on the scaffold, nor wrong remain forever on the throne.” They live each day in the land of living lies fearful of losing their throne.

The author continued :

The E bloggers and journalists are special Ethiopian heroes and heroines. They are truth-tellers and -warriors. They fight tyranny with their pens and computer keyboards. Their ammunition are truth, words, ideas, facts and opinions. They slay falsehoods with the sword of truth. They chase bad ideas with good ones and advocate replacing old ideas with new ones. They fight the people’s despair with words of hope. They teach the people that fear is overcome with acts of courage. They fight ignorance and powerful ignoramuses with knowledge and reason. They stand up to arrogance and hubris with defiant humility. They seek to transform intolerance with forbearance; resist oppression with perseverance and defeat doubt with faith. They fight with their pens and keyboards on the battleground that is the hearts and minds of the Ethiopian people.

Jailed Ethiopian journalist Eskinder Nega awarded the 2014 Golden Pen of Freedom - World News Publishing Focus by WAN-IFRA

Jailed Ethiopian journalist Eskinder Nega awarded the 2014 Golden Pen of Freedom

“This Golden Pen is more important than food, medicine and water. It materializes the support and shows that he is not forgotten. That he is one of us. That an attack on one journalist is an attack on us all and that jailing a journalist is a crime against humanity,” Swedish journalist Martin Schibbye said, accepting the 2014 Golden Pen of Freedom, the annual press freedom prize of the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), on behalf of imprisoned Ethiopian publisher, journalist and blogger Eskinder Nega. 

The honour was formally bestowed on Nega in a ceremony at the 66th World Newspaper Congress, under way in the Italian city of Torino this week, where more than 1,000 media industry representatives have gathered.

Nega is serving an 18-year jail sentence in Addis Ababa’s notorious Kaliti prison, convicted on trumped-up terrorism charges after daring to wonder in print whether the Arab Spring could reach Ethiopia, and for criticising the very anti-terrorism legislation under which he was charged. Arrested in 2011, he was sentenced on 23 January 2012, and denounced as belonging to a terrorist organisation.

Imprisoned at least seven times in the past decade for committing fearless acts of journalism, Nega is a celebrated intellectual and a relentless fighter for freedom of expression. “Eskinder Nega has become an emblem of Ethiopia’s recent struggle for democracy,” World Editors Forum President Erik Bjerager said, delivering the Golden Penduring the opening ceremony of the World Newspaper Congress and the World Editors Forum in Torino. “No stranger to prison, he is also an unforgettable warning to every working Ethiopian journalist and editor that the quest to create a just, free society comes with a heavy price,” Bjerager said.

Nega’s former prisonmate, Swedish journalist Martin Schibbye, accepted the award on the jailed journalist’s behalf, at the invitation of Nega's family. He painted a dark picture of life inside Kaliti Prison. “The rooms are more like barns with concrete floors, and it is so crowded that you have to sleep on your side,” he said. “Prisoners are packed likes slaves on a slaveship. Once a month an inmate leaves with his feet first.”

But disease and torture are not the hardest part of life inside Kaliti, according to Schibbye. “It (is) the fear of speaking. It's not the guard towers with machine guns that keep the prison population calm. It is the geography of fear. People who speak politics are taken away. They disappear.” Schibbye is a freelance journalist who was jailed for 14 months in Kaliti Prison, along with his photographer Johan Persson. They were pardoned and released in September 2012.

“In (Kaliti), fearless people like Eskinder Nega helped the whole prison population to keep their dignity. By still writing. Protesting. Not giving up. He helped us all maintain our humanity. But there is one thing I know that even Eskinder fears. That is to be forgotten,” Schibbye says.

“When you’re locked up as a prisoner of conscience, this is the greatest fear, and the support from the outside is what keeps you going. This Golden Pen Award will not set him free tomorrow, but it will ease his day today. He will go with his head high knowing that he is there for a good cause. That the pain and suffering has a meaning.”

WEF President Erik Bjerager told the ceremony that the world needs to watch the creeping threat of anti-terrorism legislation being used to target journalists. “Ethiopia continues to resort to anti-terrorism legislation to silence opposition and shackle the press. Alarmingly, beyond Ethiopia, countless states around the world are misusing anti-terrorism legislation to muzzle journalists, bloggers and freedom of expression advocates," Bjerager said. "Research suggests that over half of the more than 200 journalists in jail last year were being held on 'anti-state' charges. Let me be clear: Journalism is not terrorism. Politicians should not abuse the notion of national security to protect the government, powerful interests or particular ideologies, or to prevent the exposure of wrongdoing or incompetence.”

Schibbye concluded his acceptance speech, reading from a moving letter penned by Nega to his eight-year-old son. It was smuggled out of Kaliti prison: “The pain is almost physical. But in this plight of our family is embedded hope of a long suffering people. There is no greater honour. We must bear any pain, travel any distance, climb any mountain, cross any ocean to complete this journey to freedom. Anything less is impoverishment of our soul. God bless you, my son. You will always be in my prayers.”

Schibbye told a tearful audience: "When I read these words by Eskinder I know that they will never break him. Because he is in peace with himself. He knows that even though he is chained, robbed of his physical freedom, the freedom to talk or to be silent, the freedom to drink or eat, and even to shit. He knows, as do all prisoners of conscience, that you have it in you to keep the most valuable, the freedom that nobody can take from you, the freedom to determine who you want to be. Eskinder is a journalist. And every day he wakes up in the Kaliti prison is just another day at the office."

Nine more journalists were jailed in the past month in Ethiopia, as the election campaign started ahead of next year's poll. "The crackdown was a flashing alarm to the world that no one is safe. That there is a hunting season for journalists in Addis Abeba. But despite this difficult situation, there is light," Schibbye said.

"Eskinder Nega's courage has turned out to be contagious; a new generation is stepping up. A generation of young cheetahs have been taking enormous risks writing, tweeting and speaking truth to power, demanding the jailed to be released. It is hopeful. It shows that they can jail journalists but they can never succeed in jailing journalism. Words led Eskinder Nega to the Kaliti prison. And in the end it must also be words that set him free," Schibbye told a clearly emotional audience. 

"When I see this Golden Pen of his, I look back, and think of Eskinder who is left behind in the chaos, on the concrete floor, between walls of corrugated steel I feel sick to the stomach. But then I remember his smile and his strength and I think that at the end of the day, it’s not us that are fighting for his freedom – but rather he who is fighting for ours. Ayzoh Eskinder! Ayzoh! (translation: be strong, chin up).”

Note: The Golden Pen of Freedom is an annual award made by WAN-IFRA to recognise the outstanding action, in writing or deed, of an individual, a group or an institution in the cause of press freedom. Established in 1961, the Golden Pen of Freedom is presented annually and is amongst the most prestigious awards of its kind throughout the world. Behind the names of the laureates lie stories of extraordinary personal courage and self-sacrifice, stories of jail, beatings, bombings, censorship, exile and murder. One of the objectives of the Golden Pen is to turn the spotlight of public attention on repressive governments and journalists who fight them. Often, the laureate is still engaged in the struggle for freedom of expression and the Pen has, on several occasions, secured the release of a publisher or journalist from jail or afforded him or her a degree of protection against further persecution.

Association for International Broadcasting denounces Ethiopia’s intentional signal jam

Tue, 10 Jun 2014 10:25

Ethiopian flag

Deutsche Welle, BBC, France 24 and Voice of America are amongst numerous members of the Association for International Broadcasting (AIB) who are angered by Ethiopian authorities’ intentional jam of satellite programs, and claim the action is a violation of international agreements. 

This also prevents audiences from being able to freely access the media and violates the internationally recognized freedom of speech and freedom of the press rights as per Article 19 of the United Nation’s Declaration of Human Rights. AIB is responding by lodging protests with the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry and its Missions in London, Berlin, Paris, Riyadh and Washington DC.

Simon Spanswick, Chief Executive of the AIB stated, "AIB and its members call for the immediate and complete cessation of this unwarranted interference by Ethiopia in the region’s telecommunications and broadcasting services. Significant, harmful interference has been directed at satellites in the Arabsat and Eutelsat fleets, and consequently to the broadcasts of a wide range of TV and radio channels.

"This deliberate interference is illegal and contravenes international law. It deprives viewers and listeners across the region of access to news, information and entertainment. The interference also adversely impacts the important operational role that Arabsat and Eutelsat have in distributing content. It also harms their businesses. Extensive technical research has confirmed that the jamming originates within the territory of Ethiopia. AIB reminds the authorities in Ethiopia that causing interference is in direct contravention to the agreements that the Ethiopian government is party to at the International Telecommunication Union. "

Liliane Landor, acting Director of the BBC World Service Group, added, “The BBC calls upon the Ethiopian authorities to end this interference. They are disrupting international news broadcasts for no apparent reason. This is a deliberate act of vandalism that tarnishes their reputation.”

Jailed Ethiopian journalist Eskender Desta awarded Golden Pen of Freedom | Media news

Eskinder Nega was commended for his fight to create 'a just and free society' at World Newspaper Congress in Torino

Posted: 9 June 2014 By: Alastair Reid

1 Comment

Credit: By Dave on Flickr. Some rights reserved.

Eskinder Nega, an Ethiopian journalist imprisoned on terrorism charges in 2011, has been awarded the Golden Pen of Freedom as an "emblem of Ethiopia's struggle" and a symbol of solidarity with jailed journalists around the world.



In an emotional speech, Martin Schibbye, who accepted the award on Nega's behalf having spent time in the same prison on similar charges, said: "It is not us fighting for his freedom, but he who is fighting for ours. Stay strong Eskinder."

Where ever justice suffers, our common humanity suffers too.Eskinder Nega

Nega is serving an 18-year sentence for charges of terrorism.



Presenting the award, Erik Bjerager, president of WAN-IFRA, said Nega's crime was "to have challenged the same laws used to imprison him"..



The imprisonment is an "unforgettable warning to every working journalist and editor that the fight to create a just and free society comes with a heavy price," Bjerager said.



While the government tried to paint Nega as a "rabble rouser", he added, "other journalists and articles portray a writer who has campaigned only for peaceful change".



Nega was first imprisoned while working as editor of the newspaper Satenawfollowing the 2005 Ethiopian general elections – which were widely believed to have been rigged – for speaking out against the incumbent regime.



He was convicted of treason and sentenced to 17 months imprisonment along with his wife Serkalem Fasil, who gave birth to their son in jail.



Nega was again imprisoned in 2011, this time on an 18-year sentence for terrorism. After seeing the Arab Spring protests, he suggested that the same could happen in Ethiopia if the regime refused to reform, and that Ethiopian people should "shun violence" to "bring the advent of the African Spring", said Schibbye.



"Why should the rest of the world care?" said Bjerager, reading from one of Nega's letters from prison. Quoting the Roman poet Horace, Nega wrote "Change only the name and this story is also about you.



"Where ever justice suffers, our common humanity suffers, too."



Journalism.co.uk is reporting from the World Newspaper Congress in Torino. Follow @AlastairReid 3 and #editors14 for updates.

Martin Shibbye accepts the Golden Pen of Freedom award on behalf of Eskinder Nega. Photo by Alastair Reid

Jailed Ethiopian journalist Eskender Desta awarded Golden Pen of Freedom | Media news

Eskinder Nega was commended for his fight to create 'a just and free society' at World Newspaper Congress in Torino

Posted: 9 June 2014 By: Alastair Reid

1 Comment

Credit: By Dave on Flickr. Some rights reserved.

Eskinder Nega, an Ethiopian journalist imprisoned on terrorism charges in 2011, has been awarded the Golden Pen of Freedom as an "emblem of Ethiopia's struggle" and a symbol of solidarity with jailed journalists around the world.



In an emotional speech, Martin Schibbye, who accepted the award on Nega's behalf having spent time in the same prison on similar charges, said: "It is not us fighting for his freedom, but he who is fighting for ours. Stay strong Eskinder."

Where ever justice suffers, our common humanity suffers too.Eskinder Nega

Nega is serving an 18-year sentence for charges of terrorism.



Presenting the award, Erik Bjerager, president of WAN-IFRA, said Nega's crime was "to have challenged the same laws used to imprison him"..



The imprisonment is an "unforgettable warning to every working journalist and editor that the fight to create a just and free society comes with a heavy price," Bjerager said.



While the government tried to paint Nega as a "rabble rouser", he added, "other journalists and articles portray a writer who has campaigned only for peaceful change".



Nega was first imprisoned while working as editor of the newspaper Satenawfollowing the 2005 Ethiopian general elections – which were widely believed to have been rigged – for speaking out against the incumbent regime.



He was convicted of treason and sentenced to 17 months imprisonment along with his wife Serkalem Fasil, who gave birth to their son in jail.



Nega was again imprisoned in 2011, this time on an 18-year sentence for terrorism. After seeing the Arab Spring protests, he suggested that the same could happen in Ethiopia if the regime refused to reform, and that Ethiopian people should "shun violence" to "bring the advent of the African Spring", said Schibbye.



"Why should the rest of the world care?" said Bjerager, reading from one of Nega's letters from prison. Quoting the Roman poet Horace, Nega wrote "Change only the name and this story is also about you.



"Where ever justice suffers, our common humanity suffers, too."



Journalism.co.uk is reporting from the World Newspaper Congress in Torino. Follow @AlastairReid 3 and #editors14 for updates.

Martin Shibbye accepts the Golden Pen of Freedom award on behalf of Eskinder Nega. Photo by Alastair Reid