Addis Abeba — The Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice (EZEMA) party and the Ethiopian Media Professionals Association (EMPA) have urged the government to disclose the whereabouts of two journalists, Abdulsemed Mohammed and Yonas Amare, who they allege were taken in an "extra-legal manner."
Abdulsemed, host of the program Kidame Gebeya on Ahadu Radio 94.3, was reportedly apprehended on 12 August, in the Haile Garment area of Addis Abeba by unidentified individuals. Four days later, security forces allegedly raided his office, leading to reports that government forces were responsible for his disappearance.
Similarly, Yonas, a journalist with Reporter newspaper, was reportedly taken from his home in the Koye Feche condominium area of Sheger City on the night of 14 August by masked individuals, according to local security guards.
Both organizations said the whereabouts of the two journalists remain unknown. Family members told media they had searched all 11 sub-city police stations in Addis Abeba and the Federal Police Commission but were informed the journalists were not in custody.
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In a statement issued on 17 August EZEMA accused authorities of undermining media freedom through unlawful actions. "Among those who are acting improperly beyond their authority or breaking the law, government authorities are the main ones harassing the media, which is crucial for building a democratic system, in various illegal ways," the party said.
EMPA, in a statement released yesterday, echoed these concerns. "Even if the journalists were suspected of a crime, they should have been taken into custody legally and brought before a court within 48 hours. The fact that their whereabouts are unknown is of great concern to us," the association stated.
Describing the disappearances as a "dangerous practice that is unacceptable in any way," EMPA warned that such actions "seriously erode the freedom of the media landscape, and the relevant bodies must collectively prevent it." The association demanded the "immediate release from disappearance" of the two journalists and insisted they be dealt with only through legal procedures if suspected of wrongdoing.
EZEMA further criticized the government for contradicting its own promises. It noted that while officials recently pledged to "regularly provide the public with appropriate and truthful information and expose false information," the abduction of the journalists soon after demonstrated that "the promise was not sincere."
The party added that government denials of arbitrary arrests "show that the state is either committing the act and hiding it, or that it is being carried out by other organized bodies without its knowledge." Stressing the role of the press, EZEMA said: "In relatively democratic countries, the media is considered the fourth branch of government, holding the state accountable and exposing illegal acts committed against citizens."
It also warned that the trend of abductions, which has intensified in recent months, leaves citizens fearful for their own safety. "These events mainly lead citizens to try to secure their own safety out of fear that they have no one to protect them," EZEMA said. "It is a frightening development that puts the country's security and the safety of citizens at high risk by increasing the number of lawbreakers."
The party stressed that its call was not politically motivated but aimed at "urging the government to give attention and correct the situation before the country enters into a deeper crisis."
Both EZEMA and EMPA called on the government to uphold the rule of law, protect media freedom, and immediately disclose the whereabouts of the two journalists.
The calls come against the backdrop of Ethiopia's declining press freedom ranking. In the 2025 World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on 2 May, Ethiopia was ranked 145th out of 180 countries, for the first time placing it in the "very serious" category. The report grouped Ethiopia alongside Uganda (143rd) and Rwanda (146th), countries facing what RSF described as a "worrying decline" in media freedom across East Africa.
Despite the slide, government officials have continued to adopt a more hostile stance toward the press. In June, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed issued pointed criticism of "some" Ethiopian media outlets, accusing them of "working to serve their own interests rather than putting the national interest first." The Government Communication Service (GCS) has similarly faulted commercial media for "downplaying national agendas" and framing issues narrowly along party or government lines.
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Speaking in the final installment of a four-part interview aired on state-run and party-owned broadcasters, Abiy compared the media to fire or a machete that "can either destroy or build, depending on how it is used." He added: "There is no such thing as an independent media in the world," reiterating his claim that some Ethiopian outlets are "working to serve their own interests."
On June 13, 2025, prominent journalist Tesfalem Waldyes, founder and editor-in-chief of Ethiopia Insider, was released from police custody after several days of detention, despite three separate court orders granting him bail.
On 17 April 2025 a police raid on the office of Addis Standard and the home of one of its senior staff members saw three managers detained, and multiple electronic devices were confiscated under the pretext of investigating a documentary allegedly aimed at "inciting violence."
CPJ described the raid as an "escalating threat to press freedom," while former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Tibor Nagy expressed his "disappointment" over the raid, adding, "No government likes independent media - which holds those in power accountable - but democracies accept it."
