Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Addis Standard2
Published on 2024-03-13 08:39:48
Muhiyadin Mohamed Abdullahi, a journalist based in Ethiopia’s Somali Regional State, is currently facing the threat of a five-year prison sentence on charges of “spreading false news and hate speech,” as reported by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
On March 4th, after almost a month of being in custody, Muhiyadin was charged under Ethiopia’s hate speech and disinformation law by authorities. The accusations stem from his social media posts about traffic disruptions caused by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s recent visit.
As previously reported by Addis Standard, Muhiyadin was detained on February 13th by regional security forces from his home in Jigjiga, the capital of Somali Regional State. Two weeks later, the Somali Region Journalists’ Association issued a formal appeal for his release.
The charges against Muhiyadin allege that he incited the public in a Facebook post on February 12th to “stand up against the non-believer whom they closed the roads for.” However, a review of his page by CPJ only found a post criticizing the road closures ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit.
Before his arrest, Muhiyadin had mentioned on Facebook that he had been threatened for his reporting. He asserted that his coverage would not be silenced by anyone and stated that he planned to leave the Somali Regional State after being threatened by both the ruling party and the opposition for criticizing them.
CPJ’s Africa Program Coordinator, Muthoki Mumo, called out the officials for prosecuting a journalist for simply criticizing political elites on social media. The organization demanded Muhiyadin’s immediate release and the dropping of all charges against him.
This is not the first time Muhiyadin faced trouble for his journalism. In 2023, he was detained for three days after posting a video about the suspension of 15 media outlets in the region. CPJ urged Ethiopian authorities to release Muhiyadin unconditionally and put an end to the practice of arbitrarily detaining journalists for their reporting and commentary.
In conclusion, Muhiyadin Mohamed Abdullahi’s case sheds light on the challenges faced by journalists in Ethiopia, particularly in the Somali Regional State. It underscores the importance of press freedom and the need to protect journalists from intimidation and harassment for doing their job. The international community should continue to advocate for the release of Muhiyadin and support the freedom of the press in Ethiopia.
Read the original article on Addis Standard
