Two reporters arrested in continuing crackdown on media

Ethiopian authorities have arrested two more journalists, bringing the total number seized since bloody political protests erupted early this month to 12, a media watchdog agency reported on Monday. Private newspapers have been prevented from printing, and journalists had gone into hiding after the crackdown, according to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). "The ongoing crackdown on the private press in Ethiopia is an outrage," said Ann Cooper, CPJ executive director. "The government must stop its attempt to shutter the entire local press and release all jailed journalists immediately." The crackdown was sparked by clashes between security forces and protesters who accused Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of rigging polls in May that returned him to power. At least 46 people were killed in disturbances in November. Doctors had said 42 died after similar clashes in June. Some of the journalists and opposition leaders who have been arrested face possible treason charges, an offence that carries the death penalty in Ethiopia. Federal police were unavailable for comment on the latest arrests. Earlier this month, the prime minister told foreign news organisations that some journalists had been trying to instigate violence through their newspapers. "They are being held because of their involvement in insurrection," he said. "They will not be charged for violating the press law. They will be charged, like the CUD [Coalition for Unity and Democracy] leaders, with treason." Serkalem Fassil, publisher of the Amharic-language weeklies Menilik, Asqual and Satanaw, and her husband Iskinder Nega, who is also a journalist, were being held at an undisclosed location, the CPJ added. Security forces raided the offices shared by the three publications in Addis Ababa on 22 November. Last week, police also raided the offices of the Ethiopian Free Press Journalists' Association (EFJA) in the capital, seizing computers and documents, sources told CPJ. Security forces have repeatedly detained family members of journalists in hiding, the CPJ added. The government has also issued a "wanted list" of publishers and editors of eight private, Amharic-language weekly newspapers. The list also includes opposition members, heads of the Ethiopian Teachers' Association and officials from the international charity Action Aid and a local group, the Organisation for Social Justice. State media has published photographs of those who are on the list and urged the public to inform on them.