Africa Media Development Foundation (AMDF) condemns the arrest of Ethiopian-journalist Temesgen Desalegn, owner of Feteh magazine and the editor Misgan Zinabe.
His younger brother, Tariku Desalegn who reported the arrest on his facebook page said a large number of police rounded Temegen’s office on Wednesday October 14 and asked for his whereabouts.
“Temesgen, who wasn’t in his office at the time, received a call from his editor informing him about the situation. Temesgen tried to talk to the police over the phone, asking them if they have a warrant or any charge, and told them to leave it for him at his office. The police insisted they only want to talk to him and wanted to know where to find him. Temesgen, therefore, decided to go back to his office to speak in person. However, the police put him in their car and took him to Addis Ababa Police station, commonly known as Sostegn. I also confirmed that Temesgen is at the Addis Ababa police commission” reads post.
Tariku said he had asked the police officers the reason for the arrest, and the only response he got was that Temesgen was trying to spread false news.
The journalists were released on Thursday October 15 without charge.
AMDF strongly condemns the arrest of Desalegn and Zinabe, and we demand that Ethiopian authorities must refrain from arbitrary intimidation of journalists in the country.
Authorities must see journalists as allies on issues of national development and desist from being antagonistic to journalists and the media.