Ethiopian police have arrested Reuters journalist Kumerra Gemechu. I know Kumerra and he is an excellent and professional journalist who has worked for Reuters as a cameraman for 10 years. No reason has been given for his arrest. uk.reuters.com/article/uk-eth…
Per Reuters: "Around 10 armed federal police officers arrived at Kumerra’s home ... and took him away in handcuffs in front of his wife and three children, his wife Hawi Desalegn said. She added that his eldest daughter, who is 10, clung to him screaming as he was led away."
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came to power in 2018 promising, as part of a wave of reforms, freedom of expression in Ethiopia. Yet, according to CPJ's annual census of jailed journalists carried out on Dec. 1, there were at least seven journalists jailed there.
CPJ, as quoted in Reuters piece above, say Kumerra’s arrest is “the latest example of how press freedom is fast eroding under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed after a short-lived hope of reform.”
Reuters statement.
https://twitter.com/ReutersPR/status/1343423645444689923?s=20
Another disturbing detail in the story is that @NegeriTiksa, a Reuters photographer, was beaten by Ethiopian police on December 16.
Journalism is not a crime.
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