Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Two OMN Journalists Freed on Bail but Colleagues Remain in Ethiopian Jail

Sora Halake

   After over 45days in prison, Ethiopian
   journalist'¯Guyo'¯Wario'¯wasfinally releasedon bailTuesday. But at
   leastthreeof his Oromia'¯Media Network(OMN)colleagues'¯remain in
   custody.'¯

   "I am so happy for being with family now.[The] prison situation was
   very tough, but the court investigated'¯my case and approved my bail. I
   am so happy,"he told VOA'sHornof Africa service.'¯'¯

   A'¯lower court orderedWario'srelease onbail a week ago,'¯and
   the'¯higher court gavethefinal'¯orderMonday,'¯but paperwork'¯delayed
   the release,'¯a family membersaid.'¯

   Wario'¯and his colleagues werearrestedasauthoritiescracked down
   afterprotests'¯and violence erupted in several'¯Oromia'¯cities'¯and
   abroad'¯over the killing of'¯Hachalu'¯Hundessa,'¯an Oromo cultural and
   political singer'¯who'¯was shot dead in Addis Ababa on June 29.'¯'¯'¯'¯

   Media and civil rights groups have raised concerns about Ethiopia's
   responses to the unrest, includinginternet blocks, andthe[1] arrests of
   journalists, protesters, andseveralmembers of the oppositionincluding
   Jawar Mohamed, from the Oromo Federalist Congressand members of the
   Oromo Liberation Front.

   By mid-August, nearly 180 people, including'¯demonstrators'¯and some
   law enforcement, had been killed and 9,000 arrested'¯as protesters and
   security forces clashed, [2]Human Rights Watch said.'¯Authorities
   cut'¯off access to the internet'¯for weeks and suspended at least three
   news networks, including OMN.'¯'¯'¯'¯

   Wario,'¯who interviewed'¯Hundessa'¯shortly before the killing,wasone
   of'¯fourOMN'¯journalistsarrested, along with an IT technician,'¯the
   news outlet's lawyer'¯Tokuma'¯Dhaba'¯said.'¯They are being investigated
   on accusations of incitement, according to the press freedom
   organization [3]Committee to Protect Journalists.

References

   1. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/07/ethiopia-account-for-all-people-arrested-after-hachalu-hundesa-killing/
   2. https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/08/15/ethiopia-opposition-figures-held-without-charge
   3. https://cpj.org/2020/08/authorities-in-ethiopia-detain-four-journalists-one-media-worker-amid-unrest/

.