Nairobi — The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called on Ethiopian authorities on Monday to release journalists Getenet Ahagre and Aragaw Sisay immediately and to end the detention of press members.
On the morning of 26 March, federal police in Addis Ababa arrested Aragaw, founder and chief editor of the privately owned YouTube‑based news outlet Roha News, according to his lawyer Addisu Alagaw and his wife Hiwot Mena, who spoke to CPJ by phone. That evening, police also arrested Getenet, chief editor of the YouTube‑based broadcaster The Voice of Amhara, from his home in the capital, as reported by news outlets, Addisu (who also represents Getenet), and the journalist’s sister Embet Tadesse, both of whom spoke to CPJ.
Both journalists appeared before the Arada Federal First Instance Court in Addis Ababa on 28 March. Police accused them of incitement to violence on social media, according to a court document reviewed by CPJ, but authorities did not specify any particular content that prompted the allegation. The court granted police an additional 13 days to hold the journalists; they are scheduled to appear again on 10 April, Addisu told CPJ.
“Ethiopian journalists Getenet Ahagre and Aragaw Sisay should be released at once, and authorities should ensure they do not face further harassment in connection with their work,” said CPJ’s Africa program coordinator Angela Quintal in New York. “Journalists in Ethiopia should not have to work under the constant threat of arrest. This pattern of throwing critical journalists behind bars must stop.”
On 29 March, authorities returned to each journalist’s home and conducted searches, according to Hiwot and Embet. Addisu told CPJ that the officials’ statements have been overly general, making it impossible to identify which reporting led to the incitement charges. The Voice of Amhara recently covered topics such as the vandalism of media outlets in Addis Ababa and the demolition of properties in the Oromia regional state. Roha News reported on the recent acquittal of journalist Temesgen Desalegn and on factions within the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
Aragaw also serves as vice‑chairperson of the Wollo Bete Amhara Charity Association, a nonpartisan charity group, according to Hiwot. In May of last year, unidentified individuals—including one wearing an Ethiopian National Defense Force badge—abducted Voice of Amhara founder and chief editor Gobeze Sisay and held him for more than a week. In September 2022, Gobeze was detained by federal police for over two months.
CPJ emailed the Ethiopian Ministry of Justice and federal police spokesperson Jeylan Abdi for comment but received no response.
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