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 Ethiopian journalist blogger sentenced to 18 years, probably tortured.
Hundreds of journalists are jailed around the world, including many journalists. Eskinder Nega stands out because of the harsh sentence handed out but a country that’s virtually a client state of the U.S. The U.S. State Department notes “Today, Ethiopia is an important regional security partner of the United States. Total U.S. Government assistance, including food aid, between 2000 and 2011 was $6.226 billion. In FY 2011 the U.S. Government provided $847 million in assistance.”
Hillary Clinton almost surely had the power to prevent this sentence. She presumably held back because the Ethiopian government is waging war against Islamist in Somalia with U.S. backing. The NY Times reports, “Mr. Nega’s case stemmed from writings challenging the prosecution of fellow reporters and editors. Senator Patrick J. Leahy, a Vermont Democrat, strongly condemned Mr. Nega’s conviction in June, saying the Ethiopian government ‘misuses its institutions to silence its critics.’ PEN International, which honored Mr. Nega with a press freedom award this spring, said Friday that it was ‘appalled’ by the sentencing and called for his immediate release.” Chairman Emanuel Cleaver of the U.S. Congressional Black Caucus also spoke out. (Below)
On Internet governance, the U.S. is constantly claiming we stand for freedom. To be respected on freedom and human rights, the U.S. needs to honor it everywhere.
Eskinder Nega
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eskinder Nega (born c. 1968[2]) is an Ethiopian journalist and blogger who has been jailed seven times by the government of Meles Zenawi, including convictions for treason and terrorism.[3] He received thePEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award in May 2012,[3] and Amnesty International designated him a prisoner of conscience.[2]
Background
Eskinder attended high school and college in the U.S., returning to Ethiopia in 1991.[1] He founded his first newspaper, Ethiopis, in 1993, but soon found himself in conflict with the government of Meles Zenawi and was forced to close.[4]
2005 treason conviction
As editor of the newspaper Satenaw, Eskinder was arrested on 28 November 2005 following demonstrations against the results of the Ethiopian general election on 15 May 2005, which saw Meles stay in power but were alleged to be fraudulent. Eskinder was charged with the capital offenses oftreason, "outrages against the Constitution" and "incitement to armed conspiracy".[2] Amnesty International designated him a prisoner of conscience, "detained solely for exercising his right to freedom of expression", and called for his immediate release. The group also protested the "poor and unsanitary" conditions of his detention at Karchele prison.[2]
Eskinder was found guilty and served seventeen months' imprisonment before being released by presidential pardon at the end of 2007.[5] Eskinder's wife, journalist Serkalem Fasil, was also detained for seventeen months, giving birth to their son while still imprisoned.[4]
Following the conviction, Eskinder lost his license to practice journalism,[4] and his newspaper was closed by authorities in 2007.[1] He nonetheless continued to publish online.[1]
2012 terrorism conviction
Eskinder was arrested again on 14 September 2011 after publishing a column that criticized both the Ethiopian government's detainment of journalists as suspected terrorists and its arrest of Ethiopian actor and activist Debebe Eshetu.[3] Ethiopian anti-terrorism legislation prohibits "any reporting deemed to 'encourage' or 'provide moral support' to groups and causes the government deems 'terrorists'.[4] According to BBC News, these same laws "criminalise commentary that is critical of the government",[3] and Amnesty International accused the government of "using counter-terrorism measures to stifle dissent".[5]
Along with four politicians arrested the same day, Eskinder was accused of involvement in Ginbot 7, a political party recently added to Ethiopia's list of terrorist organizations.[5] In November, he and his co-defendants were accused by state media of being "spies for foreign forces".[4] Eskinder was found guilty of terrorism charges on 23 January 2012. As of May 2012 he is awaiting sentencing, in which he could face the death penalty.[4]
Eskinder's trial drew international attention, with twenty IPI World Press Freedom Heroes—including Pap Saine, Fred M'membe, Gwen Lister, andKenneth Best—co-signed a letter to Meles on 23 April, stating their "extremely strong condemnation of the Ethiopian government’s decision to jail journalist Eskinder Nega".[6] The U.S.-based Committee to Protect Journalists described the trial as "an affront to justice" and the accusations as "politicized charges used by the government to intimidate journalists and chill news-gathering activities".[7] Human Rights Watch called on the Ethiopian government to release Eskinder and the imprisoned journalists, stating, "The detention of Debebe Eshetu, Eskinder Nega, and Andualem Aragie is just the latest reminder that it is very dangerous to criticize the government in Ethiopia."[8]
In a ceremony on 1 May 2012, Eskinder was announced as the winner of PEN America's PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award. The group's president described him as "that bravest and most admirable of writers, one who picked up his pen to write things that he knew would surely put him at grave risk".[4] His wife Serkalem accepted the award on his behalf, stating "I accept this award on behalf of Eskinder Nega at a time when freedom of expression and press freedom are at the lowest in Ethiopia ... If Eskinder were standing here, he'd accept this award, not just as a personal honour, but on behalf of all Ethiopian journalists who toil under withering conditions today".[3]
On 4 May, the Ethiopian newspaper Feteh was fined by the court for publishing a statement from Eskinder's trial in which he stated his innocence and criticized the proceedings.[9]
References
^ a b c d J. David Goodman (2 May 2012). "Imprisoned Ethiopian Journalist Is Honored With PEN Award". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
^ a b c d "UA 214/06 Fear of Torture / Ill-treatment/ harsh prison conditions/ prisoner of conscience". Amnesty International. 7 August 2006. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
^ a b c d e "Jailed Ethiopian journalist Eskinder Nega honoured". BBC News. 2012-05-02. Retrieved 2012-05-04.
^ a b c d e f g Spielmann, Peter James (2012-05-02). "PEN honors jailed Ethiopian journalist". Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved 2012-05-04.
^ a b c "Ethiopia must end crackdown on government critics". Amnesty International. 16 September 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
^ Naomi Hunt (23 April 2012). "IPI World Press Freedom Heroes Condemn Imprisonment of Ethiopian Journalist Eskinder Nega". International Press Institute. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
^ "Judge confirms charges against Ethiopian dissident blogger". The Committee to Protect Journalists. 25 January 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
^ "Ethiopia: Crackdown on Dissent Intensifies". Human Rights Watch. 16 September 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
^ "Ethiopian paper fined for coverage of Eskinder Nega trial". The Committee to Protect Journalists. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
Chairman Cleaver’s Statement In Support Of Ethiopian Journalist Eskinder Nega
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Congressional Black Caucus today released this statement on the Ethiopian government’s ongoing imprisonment of journalists in violation of their human rights and in disregard for freedom of the press.
Eskinder Nega is a prominent Ethiopian journalist who was arrested and imprisoned in September 2011 under Ethiopia’s Anti-Terrorism Proclamation of 2009. Eskinder was arrested after publishing an online column that criticized the government’s use of anti-terrorism laws to silence opposition figures. Nega urged the Ethiopian government to respect freedom of expression and end prison torture.
“The Congressional Black Caucus condemns the Ethiopian government for using laws presumably intended to criminalize acts of terrorism as a sword to take down journalists who have spoken out against the government. Not only does the Ethiopian government misuse national security laws, but its actions devalue its standing in the international community. Just prior to Nega’s arrest, an Ethiopian judge publicly accused Nega of intending to initiate a popular revolt in Ethiopia via his online journalism. The Ethiopian law enforcement and judicial regime has by its own actions brought to light the very real injustices occurring in that country that Nega and other Ethiopian journalists were trying to expose.”
-Chairman Emanuel Cleaver |
