Associated Press freelance worker Amir Aman Kyaru, and local journalists Thomas Engida and Addisu Muluneh of the state-owned Fana radio network have been arrested in Ethiopia after interviewing members of the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), which parliament has designated a terrorist group.
The agency’s administration described the arrest as baseless and demanded the release of its employee.
We call on the Ethiopian government to immediately release Kiaro, these are groundless accusations, said Julie Pace, executive editor of the Associated Press. Kyaro is a freelance journalist who has done important work in Ethiopia regarding all parties to the conflict.
Fana CEO Admasu Damtyu declined to comment, saying the journalists’ arrest had nothing to do with the company.
Federal Police spokesman Tesfaye Olani said the journalists face between seven and 15 years for violating the terrorism law.
Mohamed Idris, head of the Ethiopian Media Authority, told Reuters that the arrested journalists were filming “promotional materials for a terrorist group.”
