Freedom of the Press - Ethiopia (2002)
| Publisher | Freedom House |
| Publication Date | 22 April 2002 |
| Cite as | Freedom House, Freedom of the Press - Ethiopia (2002), 22 April 2002, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/47345053c.html [accessed 19 June 2013] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Status: Not Free
Legal Environment: 23
Political Influences: 20
Economic Pressures: 18
Total Score: 61
Population: n/a
GNI/capita: n/a
Life Expectancy: 52
Religious Groups: n/a
Ethnic Groups: Oromo (40 percent), Amhara and Tigrean (32 percent), Sidamo (9 percent), other (19 percent)
Capital: Addis Ababa
Scores of journalists were detained or notified of impending restrictive actions. At year's end, however, only one journalist remained in prison. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) noted a gradual improvement in the country's climate for press freedom. Nevertheless, widespread harassment of journalists continued. A penal code that permits judges to jail journalists remains a hazard, as are harsh anti-defamation and official secrecy laws. Pending court cases against some 80 journalists threaten a genuine expansion of press freedom, the CPJ stated. Broadcast media are largely state-run and are closely monitored by the government. Journalists have difficulty securing official information. There are a number of independent private newspapers, but the government has a monopoly on printing.
