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February 9, 2006
News


Jailed pregnant reporter not accredited: government

Editor’s Note: A government spokesman says the reporter in the story has never been accredited to work as a journalist. While the government is lying, the argument should not be whether the reporter was accredited or not. It should be whether the Ethiopian online reporter had committed a crime. She never did. When the regime hauled almost all independent journalists into prison, it was not for lack of accreditation. When Meles gave AP correspondent Anthony Mitchell 24 hours to leave Ethiopia, it wasn’t because Mr Mitchell lacked in legal documents to work in the country. It was not either that Mr. Mitchell was fabricating news reports to damage the reputation of Mr. Zenawi, if the latter has any. Like all other jailed Ethiopian reporters, Anthony Mitchell was the victim of a criminal government that is clearly at war with the Ethiopian people.

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) – A pregnant reporter has been jailed in Ethiopia for more than two weeks, and Ethiopia’s Information Ministry said on Thursday she had not been legally accredited.

Press freedom advocates have criticised the arrest without charge of online journalist Frezer Negash, who works for the U.S.-based Ethiopian Review website, which is critical of the government.

Fanthaun Assres, the head of journalist accreditation for Ethiopia’s information ministry, said Frezer did not have the proper paperwork.

“Frezer has not been accredited by the government as an Ethiopian Review correspondent. She is unknown to us,” Fanthaun told Reuters. “If she had been working in Ethiopia as it was alleged, it was illegal.”

The website’s publisher, Elias Kifle, has said she was properly accredited to work in Ethiopia.

Press freedom watchdogs Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists have criticised Ethiopian authorities for jailing her since Jan. 27 without lodging any charges.

Reporters Without Borders last month called the arrest “deplorable because she is three months pregnant.”

The Committee to Protect Journalists has also said that Frezer had been threatened over her work on the website.

Frezer appeared in court on Feb. 6, but no charges were announced and she is due to appear again on Feb. 21, Reporters Without Borders said.

Ethiopia has come under fire for arresting reporters and charging some of them in a treason and genocide case lodged against more than 130 opposition members.

Ethiopian authorities have said that the journalists accused in the case were not above the law because of their profession.

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