many journalists were detained under the Press Law which was introduced in October 1992, 17 months after the government of Meles Zenawi came to power. Other people connected to these newspapers -- publishers, office managers, newspaper photographer, distributors and street-sellers -- have also been arrested. Over a dozen journalists have fled the country, alleging that they have been persecuted for their professional journalistic activities and their published opinions.

The Ethiopian Free Press Journalists' Association (EFJA) support for Africa press freedom and free expression campaign and message to be presented at the African Union meeting of Heads of State in Maputo in July and addressed to President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, the current Chair of the AU.

C/o: Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary ,
"Rotimi" <rotimi@credonet.org>

His Excellency
President Thabo Mbeki
President of Republic of South Africa,
And Chair of African Union

Dear Mr President,

We would like to extend our best wishes to your excellency and through you to the African heads of state and government, delegates and brothers and sisters who are participating at the African Union meeting of Heads of State in Maputo . We are convinced that the present AU summit would perform tasks that would have a major positive impact on the growth and development of the African peoples.
We hope that our newly established organization, AU would, among others, focus on and discuss the issue of the exercise of the rights to press freedom which is based on the right of peoples to freedom of expression.
We are desirous that the African Union Constitution would firmly stand for the respect and exercise of press freedom; embrace the accountability and responsibilities of all concerned parties, protect press freedom from attacks; and strongly protest against undemocratic practices of dictators, and strongly requires professionals to be governed by code of ethics.
We have concrete grounds for calling on the African Union to focus its attention on the question of the respect of the right to freedom of expression. Journalists in Africa work under particularly hostile circumstances and, because of their important role in building and maintaining democracy, require recognition and protection.
In several AU member states, journalists are arrested, harassed, and intimidated solely for their reporting, and many countries resort to harsh, outdated laws to prosecute journalists for their work. Research conducted by African and international press institutions shows an alarming pattern of governments interfering with the free flow of information and zealously prosecuting journalists for their work-in some cases even drafting legislation deliberately aimed at suppressing the dissemination of dissenting views.
For instance, a government in an African country has shut down the entire independent media and has so far detained a dozen journalists. Several others have fled the country. A government spokesperson acknowledged to NGO that independent journalists are currently imprisoned and held incommunicado but would not guarantee that all of the detained journalists were alive.

My country, Ethiopia also has a dismal press freedom record, and its government is planning alarming changes to the country's 11-year-old press laws that would severely restrict the rights of Ethiopia's already beleaguered private press corps. Although the Ethiopian authorities claim that the new law would promote "constructive and responsible journalism," we believe that the statutes would lead to a crackdown, driving many of them out of business or putting them behind bars. Currently, two journalists are imprisoned in Ethiopia, more than 40 journalists have pending court cases. While these and other few African countries are the most egregious press freedom violators in the AU, international press organizations, have documented state harassment of independent reporters and news outlets all over the continent.
The Ethiopian Free Press Journalists' Association (EFJA) respectfully reminds Your Excellency that most AU member states have signed Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Articles 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and People's Rights, all of which recognize an individual's right to seek, receive, and impart information without fear of reprisal.
As an African association of journalists dedicated to defending press freedom in Ethiopia EFJA strongly believes that media outlets and journalists should be able to work freely, and that a public's ability to gather and receive information should be enshrined and recognized as a fundamental human right. We also believe that journalists should not face arrest detention, or harassment for their work.
We call on your Excellency and the African heads of state and government to:
respect AU and international laws

• Release imprisoned journalists in their respective countries.
  
• Change their repressive press laws
  
• Ensure that the media in the AU member can function freely, without intimidation, harassment, or restrictions.

It is our sincere hope that the AU Summit would come up with successful results that would be to the ultimate benefit of the peoples of the African continent.

We also hope that press freedom would flourish in Africa and the rest of the world.

Sincerely,

Kifle Mulat
President,EFJA

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
19 June, 2003

Ethiopia, June, 2003 -The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN is disturbed by the continued imprisonment of Tewodros Kassa and Melese Shine; the slew of trials against numerous independent journalists; and the ominous nature of the press law presented by the Ethiopian authorities earlier in the year. PEN considers that the practice of taking journalists through criminal proceedings on account of articles they have written has long since become systematic in Ethiopia and constitutes an assault on freedom of expression in the country.

Tewodros Kassa, the former editor-in-chief of the newspaper Ethop, was sentenced in July 2002 to two years imprisonment for fabricating information that could incite people to political violence. Melese Shine, current editor-in-chief of the same newspaper, has been detained in prison in Addis Ababa since April 29, 2003 on charges of defaming a hospital administrator he accused of embezzlement. Unable to pay his bail of 3000 birr (c. US$375), Shine remains in custody whilst his case ambles through the courts.

In May 2003 alone legal action against the following journalists was taken:

Wosenseged Gibrekidan, deputy editor-in chief of Ethop, was charged with libeling a former Ethiopian ambassador by dismissing claims he made regarding his diplomatic efforts during the war with Eritrea. Gibrekidan was released on bail on May 16.

Shimelis Asfaw, editor-in-chief of Ethio-Time, who is charged with disseminating fabricated information about the government and its officials had his trial adjourned until July 4, 2003.

Mengistu Wolde Selassie, editor-on-chief of Dagim Wonchif, was informed that a press offense charge had been filed against him stemming from articles published in his newspaper.

PEN has also received reports that journalist Sendu Abebe has received threats due to a review she published in Ethionation of the movie "Kezkaza Wolafen" which deals with AIDS and HIV. She was arrested and spent one night in jail. On her release, she managed to flee and go into hiding.

PEN has records of twenty-three other journalists against whom criminal proceedings are being taken by the Ethiopian authorities simply on the grounds of what they have published. The actual figure is believed to be much higher.

The strategy of dragging journalists through interminable court proceedings is one that promotes self-censorship. Even when such cases end in acquittals or with charges being dropped, the threat of being taken to court in the future acts as a deterrent to journalists to write anything that might be deemed damaging in any way to the authorities.

Furthermore, the draft press law presented in January this year by the Ethiopian government does not augur well for freedom of expression in the country. Far from decriminalizing offences such as libel, which PEN has always maintained should be dealt with through the civil courts, the law would continue to allow for prison terms for so called press offences, as well as handing the government sweeping powers of censorship. As such, PEN believes that the law runs counter to both the spirit and the letter of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to which Ethiopia is a signatory; and Article 29 of the Ethiopian Constitution. A letter sent in March by PEN to the Ethiopian authorities pointing out the anomalies in the draft law has yet to receive a reply.

International PEN calls for the immediate dropping of all criminal charges against journalists in Ethiopia, and the release of Tewodros Kassa and Melese Shine. Given the contradiction between the draft press law and Ethiopia's commitments to freedom of expression, International PEN calls upon the Ethiopian government to reconsider the introduction of this legislation and to consult with independent media bodies about the content of the bill.

Recommended Actions
PEN members may send appeals:

• Calling for the immediate dropping of criminal charges against all journalists and the release of Tewodros Kassa and Melese Shine;

• Urging the Ethiopian government to reconsider the content of the draft press bill, to bring independent media bodies into the consultative process, and to ensure that any proposed legislation upholds rather than contravenes Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 29 of the Ethiopian Constitution.

Appeals to:
H.E. Ato Meles Zenawi
Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Office of the Prime Minister
P.O. Box 1031
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Fax: +251 1 552 020

H.E. Ato Harka Hariye
Minister of Justice
c/o National Parliament
Fax: +251 1 51 08 73/ +251 1 55 02 78

PEN members are also recommended to copy their appeals to the Ethiopian embassies in their countries. In the United States, letters can be directed to:

H. E. Kassahun Ayele
Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the United States
3506 International Drive, NW
Washington, DC 20008
Fax: (202)686-9551