INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF JOURNALISTS
Media Release
13 May 2008
IFJ Urges Ethiopia to Drop Charges Against Magazine Editor and
Three Others
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today called on the
Ethiopian authorities to drop charges against Alemayehu Mahtemework,
the editor of monthly entertainment magazine Enku, and three others
who were arrested with him after the publication of a cover story about
a jailed popular singer.
Mahtemework and three others, who have not been identified,
appeared in court on May 6. The trial will resume on May 19. The
charges are still not clear but local sources say the four are accused of
publishing “stirring articles that could incite people.” The defendants
were held for five days before being released on bail.
“There is no need to hold a trial when there is no offence,” said Gabriel
Baglo, the Director of the IFJ Africa Office. “We call on the authorities to
drop all the legal proceedings against Mahtemework and the three
people arrested with him and to allow the magazine to work in total
freedom.”
The case stems from Enku’s cover story for its latest edition on Ethiopia’
s most famous pop singer Tewodros Kassahun. Kassahun, known as
Teddy Afro, is on trial for murder for a hit-and-run incident in 2006. He
is well-known for his songs critical of the government and his fans have
protested his trial.
Mahtemework and his three co-defendants were arrested by police on
the evening of 2 May in a van carrying 10,000 copies of the magazine
for distribution. All the copies were seized. After their first court
appearance this week, the judge gave police 14 more days to finalize
evidence against the defendants and other journalists who worked on
the Teddy Afro story.
Media Release
13 May 2008
IFJ Urges Ethiopia to Drop Charges Against Magazine Editor and
Three Others
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today called on the
Ethiopian authorities to drop charges against Alemayehu Mahtemework,
the editor of monthly entertainment magazine Enku, and three others
who were arrested with him after the publication of a cover story about
a jailed popular singer.
Mahtemework and three others, who have not been identified,
appeared in court on May 6. The trial will resume on May 19. The
charges are still not clear but local sources say the four are accused of
publishing “stirring articles that could incite people.” The defendants
were held for five days before being released on bail.
“There is no need to hold a trial when there is no offence,” said Gabriel
Baglo, the Director of the IFJ Africa Office. “We call on the authorities to
drop all the legal proceedings against Mahtemework and the three
people arrested with him and to allow the magazine to work in total
freedom.”
The case stems from Enku’s cover story for its latest edition on Ethiopia’
s most famous pop singer Tewodros Kassahun. Kassahun, known as
Teddy Afro, is on trial for murder for a hit-and-run incident in 2006. He
is well-known for his songs critical of the government and his fans have
protested his trial.
Mahtemework and his three co-defendants were arrested by police on
the evening of 2 May in a van carrying 10,000 copies of the magazine
for distribution. All the copies were seized. After their first court
appearance this week, the judge gave police 14 more days to finalize
evidence against the defendants and other journalists who worked on
the Teddy Afro story.
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