Ethiopia: Sheger FM Journalists Released After More Than 20 Days in Detention

Addis Abeba — Sheger FM Radio announced that its journalists, editor Tigist Zerihun and reporter Mintamer Tsegaw, were released on 24 September 2025 after spending more than 20 days in detention.

Their release followed a ruling by the Federal Supreme Court's Second Criminal Bench, which upheld an earlier decision of the Federal High Court, Lideta Division, granting the journalists bail set at 50,000 birr each. The court also dismissed an appeal by the Federal Police Crime Investigation Bureau that claimed the pair could tamper with evidence if freed.

According to Sheger FM, the two journalists were released in the afternoon of 24 September. They had been detained since 29 August, four days after broadcasting a report citing a Ministry of Health circular and featuring healthcare professionals' demands for improved pay and benefits.

The station said its Head of News and Programs, Eshete Assefa, was detained alongside Mintamer on 29 August but released the same day after giving his statement. Tigist was later arrested at her residence near Ferenesay Mazoria.

As reported by Addis Standard on 5 September, the contested segment, which aired twice before being deleted from Sheger FM's online platforms, included views of "movement coordinators" alongside commentary on the ministry's directive to regional health bureaus.

On 5 September, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) urged Ethiopian authorities to "immediately and unconditionally" release Tigist and Mintamer, warning against censorship. "It is critical that the Ethiopian public has access to independent reporting on health issues," said Muthoki Mumo, CPJ's Africa program coordinator.

Similarly, Human Rights Watch described the arrests of Tigist, Mintamer, and Eshete as part of a broader crackdown on journalists that has escalated since August, warning that the trend threatens press freedom ahead of Ethiopia's upcoming elections.

The Ethiopian Media Authority (EMA), however, accused Sheger FM of "incitement to violence and bias," saying it had ordered the removal of the health report. The journalists remained in custody even after the deletion.

Read the original article on Addis Standard.