Addis Abeba – The Ethiopian Media Authority (EMA) has announced the revocation of the online media registration certificate of Addis Standard, effective 24 February 2026, citing repeated violations of media ethics, national laws, and what it described as the country’s national interests.
The statement did not specify which reports or actions formed the basis of the decision.
Responding to the EMA’s announcement, Yonas Kedir, Editor-in-Chief of Addis Standard publications, rejected the Authority’s claims, saying the outlet had never received any formal notices of violations.
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“The claim that Addis Standard received repeated notices is factually incorrect. At no point has the Ethiopian Media Authority formally notified Addis Standard newsroom of any prior violations or enforcement actions,” he said. He added that the publisher, JAKENN Publishing PLC, is reviewing legal options to protect its rights and ensure due process is upheld.
In its statement, the EMA alleged that Addis Standard had “repeatedly broadcast reports that endanger media ethics, Ethiopian laws, and the national interests of the country and its people.” It said the alleged violations were confirmed through its regulatory oversight activities and were the subject of numerous complaints and tips submitted by members of the public.
According to the Authority, it had conducted investigations into the outlet’s activities and issued repeated advisories urging it to correct its conduct and refrain from what it characterized as a “destructive path.” The EMA said Addis Standard “remained unwilling to reform” and refused to comply with multiple notices and warnings to operate in line with professional ethics and national interests.
Citing provisions of the Media Proclamation, the Authority announced that Addis Standard’s online media registration certificate has been cancelled as of 24 February 2026. It further notified the public and relevant stakeholders that the outlet no longer holds a valid media license or official recognition from the regulator
Established in 2011 as a monthly magazine, Addis Standard has faced multiple challenges over the years, including scrutiny from government institutions. It is not the first time the outlet has encountered pressure from authorities.
In April 2025, Ethiopian police raided the Addis Standard office and the home of one of its senior staff members on 17 April, briefly detaining three managers for several hours and confiscating multiple electronic devices, including laptops, phones, and data storage equipment.
Although the detained staff members were released after several hours, police retained many personal and professional devices—including laptops, mobile phones, hard drives, and CPUs—for weeks, leaving the newsroom’s communication channels vulnerable. At the time, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) expressed “grave concerns about potential misuse of sensitive data” following the raids and confiscations.
During the Tigray war, in June 2021, Ethiopia’s media regulator suspended Addis Standard, accusing it of advancing the agenda of what it described as a “terrorist group.” In an online statement at the time, the Ethiopian Media Authority (EMA) said the temporary suspension followed complaints and what it called “alarming trends” identified through its monitoring findings.
“We have learned that the Media has been a platform to advance the terrorist group’s agenda,” the regulator said, in an apparent reference to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which the federal government was fighting in the northern Tigray region following the outbreak of conflict in November 2020.
At the time, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) criticized the move, describing it as part of a broader pattern of hostility toward independent journalism. “For years, Addis Standard has been an important source of critical reporting and commentary on Ethiopia. The move to withdraw its license is the latest demonstration of the government’s hostility towards independent journalism,” said Muthoki Mumo, CPJ’s sub-Saharan Africa representative. She called on authorities to immediately restore the outlet’s license, ensure it could operate independently, and cease efforts to harass and censor journalists and media organizations.
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A year earlier, in November 2020, members of Addis Abeba and federal police arrested Medihane Ekubamichael, then product editor at Addis Standard. He was taken from his home in Addis Abeba on 7 November and initially held at an undisclosed location. According to colleagues, Medihane had attended a regular editorial meeting at the office earlier that day until mid-afternoon.
At a court hearing on 9 November 2020, police accused him of attempting to “dismantle the constitution through violence” and of “outrage against the constitution.” AS
