ethiopia: Newspaper vendors detained, harassed

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

17 February 2003

Newspaper vendors detained, harassed

SOURCE: Ethiopian Free Press Journalists' Association (EFJA), Addis Ababa

**For further information about the new draft press law, see IFEX alerts of 14
and 10 February and 21 January 2003**

(EFJA/IFEX) - The following is a 14 February 2003 EFJA statement:

Hunting down of news vendors must stop

Vendors of Ethiopian free press publications have told us that they are being
hunted down and detained, and their newspapers are being snatched from them by
police. The police are engaged in such acts at a time when local and foreign
journalists, publishers and media professionals have strongly protested against
the new draft press law that has been made public by the Ministry of
Information. The police action infringes upon human rights and the right of
citizens to earn their living by working.

Security forces are intimidating the free press, detaining news vendors and
taking away their newspapers just after Ethiopian free press journalists,
publishers and media professionals came together at a joint forum where they
examined the unconstitutional content of the new draft press law, and issued a
strong joint position statement. The actions taken by the security forces are
not only disappointing but constitute an undemocratic and vengeful practice.

We call on all those who stand for the cause of peace, democracy and the rule of
law to denounce the actions that the Ethiopian government has taken, make their
voices heard and urge the government to refrain from taking such a course of
action.

The Ethiopian Free Press Journalists' Association (EFJA) kindly requests that
H.E. Ato Meles Zenawi, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) prime
minister, and the House of Peoples Representation give due attention to and stop
the illegal measures being taken against the free press and thereby meet their
national and constitutional obligations.

EFJA takes this opportunity to call on journalists, publishers and media
professionals to continue their peaceful struggle to ensure the respect of their
human, democratic and constitutional rights.

Kifle Mulat
President
Ethiopian Free Press Journalists' Association (EFJA)
February 14, 2003

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Send appeals to authorities:
- protesting such illegal actions

APPEALS TO:

H.E. Ato Meles Zenawi
Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Fax: +251 1 55 20 20

H.E. Ato Bereket Simon
Minister of Information
Fax: +251 1 53 35 10
E-mail: [email protected]

Please copy appeals to the source if possible.

For further information, contact Kifle Mulat, President, EFJA, P.O. Box 31317 /
33232, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, tel/fax: +251 1 55 50 21, mobile: +251 1 (09) 222
939, e-mail: [email protected], [email protected]

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