Revised new press law criticised by advocacy group

An international advocacy group has criticised the latest changes to Ethiopia’s controversial draft press law as not going far enough. UK-based Article 19 - which campaigns for greater freedom of expression - said in its June report that the revised law still contained a number of restrictive measures. In particular, Article 19 complained of "excessive sanctions" against journalists, "excessive restrictions" on journalistic content, and noted that the proposed Press Council would be in the hands of the government. The group also raised fresh concerns over government controls on who may practise journalism in Ethiopia, and restrictions on access to foreign publications. Although Article 19 welcomed some measures in the bill, drawn up by the information ministry, it recommended that at least eight main elements should be addressed. It is believed that the new press law could come into effect as early as October, but it must first go before parliament’s Council of Ministers. International groups, including the International Federation of Journalists and the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists, have also criticised the bill. In a recent statement, the government said freedom of expression was enshrined in the constitution, and that the growing number of private newspapers was proof of a developing democracy. It has emerged, meanwhile, that some journalists have established their own Ethiopian National Union of Journalists. It will operate independently of the Ethiopian Free Press Journalists' Association, which is currently the only independent journalists' body in the country.