A respected independent newsroom says its editor was beaten, detained and interrogated, raising fresh concerns about press freedom in Ethiopia as rights groups warn of a growing crackdown on critical journalism.
Ethiopia’s independent media is facing renewed pressure after the editor-in-chief of the Addis Standard was allegedly abducted, assaulted and detained by security forces, according to the publication’s owner.
Jakken Publishing, which owns the Addis Standard, said editor-in-chief Yonas Kedir was seized last Saturday, held for about 24 hours and subjected to lengthy interrogation before being released.
According to the publisher, the incident marked the beginning of three days of action against the news organisation.
“Two individuals dressed in civilian clothes violently seized me,” Yonas said in a written statement quoted by AFP.
“They struck me and forcibly loaded me into a double-cab pickup truck. They accused me of ‘selling the country out’.”
The publisher said the following day, security personnel raided the Addis Standard’s offices without presenting any legal documents and confiscated equipment from its multimedia studio.
On Monday, police reportedly issued an eviction notice ordering the company to leave its offices within three days, ending more than 16 years of operations at the location.
Despite the actions, the Addis Standard has continued publishing news while consulting on its next steps.
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The Ethiopian government has not publicly responded to the allegations.
The latest incident comes months after authorities revoked the Addis Standard’s media registration in February, accusing the outlet of violating media ethics and threatening national interests. Officials did not identify which reports led to the decision, and the publication has continued operating while challenging the order in court.
Press freedom organisations say the latest developments reflect a broader campaign against independent journalism.
“This is an alarming escalation in Ethiopian authorities’ campaign to dismantle one of the country’s leading independent news organisations,” the Committee to Protect Journalists said.
Human Rights Watch also accused the authorities of increasing pressure on independent media, noting that journalists have faced arbitrary arrests, incommunicado detention and licence revocations over the past year.
The rights group added that other independent broadcasters, including Arts TV and Ahadu FM, have recently received final warnings from Ethiopia’s media regulator over alleged violations, raising fears that more media organisations could face suspension or closure.
