Trial of Zone 9 bloggers and journalists
On 11 November 2016, security officers from the State of Emergency Command Post re-arrested the co-founder of Zone 9, blogger, and author Befekadu Hailu. According to the group's Facebook page, the reason for Befekadu Hailu arrest is the interview he gave to VOA Amharic on October 31, 2016. Befekadu Hailu is now transferred to Kotebe Police Station.
Zone9 is an informal group of young Ethiopian bloggers working together to create an alternative independent narration of the socio-political conditions in Ethiopia and thereby foster public discourse that will result in emergence of ideas for the betterment of the Nation.
On 11 November 2016, security officers from the State of Emergency Command Post re-arrested the co-founder of Zone 9, blogger, and author Befekadu Hailu. According to the group's Facebook page, the reason for Befekadu Hailu arrest is the interview he gave to VOA Amharic on October 31, 2016. Befekadu Hailu is now transferred to Kotebe Police Station.
On 16 October 2015 the Federal Court in Addis Ababa cleared of terrorism charges the four “Zone 9” bloggers who remained in detention. Natnael Feleke, Atnaf Birhane and Abel Wabela were found not guilty of all charges and were subsequently released. Befekadu Hailu, although acquitted of the charge of terrorism, continues to face charges of inciting violence. The court also found Soliana Shimelis, who was charged in absentia, not guilty.
All bloggers and journalists whose terrorism charges have been dropped are members of the "Zone 9" and prominent social media activists. With the exception of Soliana Shimelis, the other human rights defenders, namely Mss Mahlet Fantahun and Edom Kassaye and Messrs Natnael Feleke, Befekadu Hailu, Atnaf Birhane, Zelalem Kibret, Abel Wabela, Tesfalem Weldyes and Asmamaw Haile Giorgis, were arrested on 25 and 26 April 2014 and remained in detention for over a year before being freed.
The human rights defenders' lawyer stated that “all the evidence presented was very weak to prove they were planning any kind of terrorism”. However, charges of inciting violence remain pending against Befekadu Hailu, who might face a ten-year imprisonment sentence if convicted.
The human rights defenders were charged under Ethiopia's widely criticized anti-terrorism law, a legislation that has been used to clamp down on freedom of expression and political dissent. Earlier this year, on 8 July 2015, Ethiopian authorities released and dropped all charges against three journalists, Mr Asmamaw Hailegiorgis, Ms Edom Kassaye and Mr Tesfalem Weldyes and two of the “Zone 9” bloggers, Ms Mahlet Fantahun and Mr Zelalem Kibret, all of whom had been detained since 25 April 2014.
While Front Line Defenders welcomes the fact that all the terrorism-related charges were dropped against the journalists and bloggers from the group “Zone 9”, it reiterates its concern at the systematic targeting of human rights defenders in Ethiopia through fabricated terrorism-related charges and it further calls the Ethiopian authorities to drop any remaining charges against human rights defender Befekadu Hailu.
On 8 July 2015, Ethiopian authorities released and dropped all charges against five of the ten “Zone 9” bloggers and journalists detained since 25 April 2014. The ten were charged under the country's widely criticized anti-terrorism legislation, which the government has used to clamp down on freedom of expression and political dissent.
By order of the Ministry of Interior, authorities released three journalists, Mr Asmamaw Hailegiorgis, Ms Edom Kassaye and Mr Tesfalem Weldyes and two bloggers, Ms Mahlet Fantahun and Mr Zelalem Kibret. The five are members of Zone 9, a group of bloggers and human rights defenders who write about issues of public interest in Ethiopia.
On 17 July 2014 the bloggers and journalists were charged with having connections to organisations labeled as “terrorists” by the Ethiopian government – Ginbot 7 and Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) – and for inciting violence through social networking tools. On 9 July 2015, by the order of the Ministry of Justice, all charges were dropped against five of the ten bloggers who were under arrest.
While Front Line Defenders welcomes the release of five journalists and bloggers from Zone 9, it reiterates its call to the government of Ethiopia to drop all the charges against those still persecuted for exercising their right to freedom of expression in Ethiopia, including bloggers Natnael Feleke, Befekadu Hailu, Atnaf Birhane and Abel Wabela, under arrest since April 2014, and Soliana Shimelis, who was charged in absentia.
Front Line Defenders believes that their arrest, detention and the charges relate solely to their legitimate work in defence of human rights, and is further concerned by the systematic targeting of human rights defenders in Ethiopia through fabricated terrorism-related charges.
On 15 October 2014, several bloggers and journalists appeared before a court for the 10th hearing of their trial on fabricated terrorism-related offences. The defence raised procedural and constitutional issues and the hearing was eventually adjourned to 4 November 2014.
The defendants include seven bloggers who were members of Zone9, a group of bloggers and human rights defenders who discuss online issues of public interest in Ethiopia. With the exception of Ms Soliana Shimelis, who was charged in absentia, the other bloggers and human rights defenders, Ms Mahlet Fantahun and Messrs Natnael Feleke, Befekadu Hailu, Atnaf Birhane, Zelalem Kibret and Abel Wabela, were arrested on 25 and 26 April 2014, and have been in detention since then. They have been detained together with journalists Mr. Tesfalem Weldyes, Mr. Asmamaw Haile Giorgis and Ms Edom Kassaye.
The defendants have all been on trial over fabricated charges of destabilising the nation and terrorism, in an attempt to silence any independent voices talking about the human rights situation in the country. Part of the materials brought by the prosecution as evidence to substantiate the charges is that the human rights defenders used some of the tools and tactics contained in the Security in-a-box package, a digital security resource publicly available on the Internet. The authorities claim that the defendants worked with foreign human rights groups and used social networking tools to “incite violence”.
As the 15 October hearing opened, the defence counsel raised procedural and constitutional issues with the case and requested that it be dismissed on those grounds, and the accused immediately released. The judge adjourned the case until 4 November 2014 to render a decision on the issues raised by the defence.
During the hearing, two female defendants among the group, blogger Mahlet Fantahun and journalist Edom Kassaye, complained about the conditions in which they are detained at Kality prison. They indicated that, with the exception of a few family members, no one else is allowed to visit them. They also complained that the few family members who are permitted to visit are often subjected to mistreatment by guards manning the prison's gate. Two other defendants among the group complained that they are being labelled as “terrorists” inside the prison. A particular hearing to address the mistreatment allegations has been scheduled for 21 October.
Front Line Defenders is deeply concerned that these bloggers have been held in prolonged pre-trial detention, in connection with their legitimate work in promoting human rights, and is further concerned by the systematic targeting of human rights defenders in Ethiopia on the basis of alleged unfounded connections with “terrorist organisations”.
