(August 24, By ARGAW ASHINE, Addis Ababa, Africa review)--Ethiopia's tightly-controlled media is not particularly known for sticking its neck out on controversial issues, but a new law recently passed by an overwhelmingly government-controlled parliament has had top executives wringing their hands over its potential ramifications.
The law expressly bans any form of communication with groups designated as terrorist organisations, including reporting even a press release or interviewing their members.
According to the spirit of the law, any such act will be considered as disseminating terror-related information and the publisher of any such article can be jailed.
Addis Ababa journalists and newspaper owners remain confused as to how to treat the new law which was endorsed in 2009 but has only become effective now.
It is an indictment of the environment that exists in the country that some publishers were afraid of being quoted on their views, saying they preferred not to "quarrel with the government", even as the law clearly seems restrictive.
Dawit Kebede, a CPJ award winner and editor-in-chief of one of the country's remaining political newspapers, Awramba Times, says the law provides a pretext for the government to intimidate and even arrest journalists who fall afoul of its wording. Read More from Africa review »
The law expressly bans any form of communication with groups designated as terrorist organisations, including reporting even a press release or interviewing their members.
According to the spirit of the law, any such act will be considered as disseminating terror-related information and the publisher of any such article can be jailed.
Addis Ababa journalists and newspaper owners remain confused as to how to treat the new law which was endorsed in 2009 but has only become effective now.
It is an indictment of the environment that exists in the country that some publishers were afraid of being quoted on their views, saying they preferred not to "quarrel with the government", even as the law clearly seems restrictive.
Dawit Kebede, a CPJ award winner and editor-in-chief of one of the country's remaining political newspapers, Awramba Times, says the law provides a pretext for the government to intimidate and even arrest journalists who fall afoul of its wording. Read More from Africa review »
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