Ethiopia: #asdailyscoop - Oromia Police Releases Journalist Sabontu Without Charges

Albert Backer / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The town of Abala in Ethiopia in 2015 (file photo).
30 May 2022
Addis Standard (Addis Ababa)

Addis Abeba — The police in Oromia state released journalist Sabontu Ahmed of Finfinnee Integrated Broadcasting (FIB) who was detained on Thursday 26 May and was initially taken to the Addis Abeba Police Station located in the Lebu area, commonly referred to as Musika Sefer.

Sabontu was since transferred to a police station in Bishoftu city, in Oromia on 27 May.

Lami Taye, FIB Executive Director, confirmed the news of her release to Addis Standard and said that the station was in discussion with Oromia police chief Ararssa Merdasa. This morning Sabontu was released after family members registered residence ID card as bail, Lemi said. But she was told by the police that "they will call her when she is needed."

Sabontu worked in the entertainment department of FIB and was detained as she was going home from work by two police officers from Addis Abeba Police Commission, becoming the 17 known journalist, commentators and media professionals to have been detained in a span of one week. Oromia Journalists Association (OJA) issued a statement asking for her immediate release and described that she was detained for reasons unknown to the association and without a court warrant.

The rearrest of Meaza Mohammed of Roha TV on Saturday 28 May and the released of Sabontu today brings the number of known journalist, commentators and media professionals currently in police custody to 18.

Read the original article on Addis Standard.

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