Ethiopia's free press fights to survive Abiy's wartime crackdown
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Loading... - Ernest Marfo
- 09 Aug 2022
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The critique appears inspired by a character assessment that is gaining popularity on social media following Abiy’s repeated public speeches in which he recites stories and proverbs instead of addressing critical issues.
Run by an acclaimed journalist, Temesgen Desalegn, Feteh has become known for its satirical take on current affairs. On the surface, this suggests an improved media freedom space since Abiy took office in 2018, but the reality is more nuanced.
In October 2020, Temesgen and the magazine’s editor were arrested by police following the publication of an article about the mayor of Addis Ababa’s bank account. They were released a day later due to public backlash.
This was nothing new in Temesgen’s long career. Several newspapers and magazines he managed were forced out of print by the previous EPRDF government and he served three years in prison after he was jailed in 2014 for publishing articles deemed as “attacks against the state” and “written to incite the youth to dismantle the constitutional order”. Read More...
