Ethiopia: Ethiopia added to IPI Watch List

IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
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PRESS RELEASE/ALERT - ETHIOPIA

18 May 2004

Ethiopia added to IPI Watch List

SOURCE: International Press Institute (IPI), Vienna

**For further information on the draft press law, see IFEX alerts of 9 March
2004, 18 and 5 December, 14 and 10 February and 21 January 2003**

(IPI/IFEX) - The following is an IPI press release:

Warsaw, 18 May 2004

IPI Adds Ethiopia to Watch List

At the Board Meeting of the International Press Institute, held in Warsaw,
Poland on 15 May, the Executive Board voted unanimously to add Ethiopia to
the IPI Watch List while agreeing that South Korea should be removed.
Russia, Venezuela and Zimbabwe have been kept on the IPI Watch List.

Commenting on the Board's decision to add Ethiopia to the list, IPI Director
Johann P. Fritz said, "After a recent fact-finding mission to the country
carried out by IPI, we have grave concerns about the deteriorating media
freedom situation in Ethiopia."

"Though the government has expressed its support for diversification of the
broadcast media by opening the airwaves to private broadcasters, it has
constantly delayed the implementation of this intention and, despite
promises to the contrary, there are genuine fears that it will not do so
before the next general election in 2005."

Regarding the draft press law, Fritz said, "The government has promised to
send a copy of the most recent version of this law to IPI and we hope they
do so, however, it is fair to say that the entire process has lacked
transparency. Earlier drafts contained draconian measures and I am doubtful
that all of these provisions will be withdrawn. This means the Ethiopian
media have an uncertain future."

"I am also worried about the apparent lack of an independent judiciary and
police force in Ethiopia which have led to the arrest of journalists for
outdated charges. It is damaging to the reputation of Ethiopia to have
journalists languishing in jail for a failure to pay excessive bail fees.
Moreover, it is extremely difficult to obtain information on arrests of
journalists and this reinforces the impression that the government's vocal
support for press freedom is not always matched by firm deeds."

Speaking about the IPI Watch List, Fritz added, "While I acknowledge the
severe problems in the areas of poverty, education, health and food
production in Ethiopia and the pressures these place on the government, the
IPI Executive Board felt that the forthcoming elections could lead to
greater difficulties for press freedom and access to information and, with
this in mind, it was decided that IPI should pay careful attention to the
Ethiopia media environment in order to support journalists."

During the IPI World Congress, also held in Warsaw, Poland, on 18 May, IPI
awarded its "Free Media Pioneer Award 2004" to the Baku-based Central Asian
and Southern Caucasian Freedom of Expression Network (CASCFEN).

For further information, contact IPI at Spiegelgasse 2/29, A-1010 Vienna,
Austria, tel: +43 1 512 90 11, fax: +43 1 512 90 14, e-mail: Michael Kudlak
at [email protected], Diana Orlova at [email protected], or David Dadge
at [email protected], Internet site: http://www.freemedia.at

The information contained in this press release/alert is the sole
responsibility of IPI. In citing this material for broadcast or publication,
please credit IPI.
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