Media watchdog condemns arrest of two more journalists

Two journalists have been jailed in Ethiopia, bringing the total number imprisoned following a post election crackdown by the government to 15, a media watchdog said on Tuesday. Getachew Simie, former editor-in-chief of the defunct Amharic-language weekly Agere, was jailed for three months while Leykun Engeda, former editor-in-chief and publisher of the Amharic-language weekly Dagim Wonchif was jailed for 15 months, said the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Both were jailed for articles published up to seven years ago, the New York-based watchdog said. "It is scandalous that Ethiopian authorities have persisted in using outdated and illegitimate charges to send these journalists to jail," said Ann Cooper, executive director of CPJ. "We call on authorities to release our Ethiopian colleagues immediately, and to work towards removing criminal penalties for press offences." Getachew was sentenced on 7 December for alleged criminal defamation, the CPJ said, while Leykun was sentenced on 9 December for allegedly publishing false news. Thirteen other journalists have been detained, accused of treason, held without charge and denied bail since renewed anti-government protests in early November, it added. On 6 December, one of the detained journalists, Wosonseged Gebrekidan, was sentenced to eight months in jail in an unrelated case, for allegedly defaming a former diplomat. Simie was arrested on 6 December and is now in Kaliti prison on the outskirts of the capital, Addis Ababa, according to the CPJ. The case against him stemmed from an article printed in Agere in 1998, it added. Simie has since become a reporter for the Amharic-language weekly Addis Admas. Ethiopian authorities were not immediately available for comment.