Martha Kumsa
Kumsa was arrested in 1980 after writing an article calling for ethnic-Oromo women to defy power structures and reclaim their cultural heritage. She was released in 1989 and escaped… More
Tesfalem Waldyes Zone 9 Bloggers
Waldyes is one of the Zone 9 Bloggers, a group formed in 2012 to publish political commentary online in the face of tightening restrictions on expression. Following his initial… More
Firew Bekele
University lecturer Bekele was arrested on August 17, 2019 and charged under Ethiopia’s draconian Anti-Terrorism Proclamation in connection with a book he had published criticizing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.… More
Atnaf Berhane Zone 9 Bloggers
Berhane is one of the Zone 9 Bloggers, a group formed in 2012 to publish political commentary online in the face of tightening restrictions on expression. The Ethopian Supreme… More
Mahlet Fantahun Zone 9 Bloggers
Fantahun is one of the Zone 9 Bloggers, a group formed in 2012 to publish political commentary online in the face of tightening restrictions on expression. He was acquitted… More
PEN America Mobilizes Members and Allies Across the United States to Mark World Press Freedom Day on May 3
“Press freedom can sometimes seem like an abstract concept or a distant problem, but the consequences of its erosion affect every single person’s life, from the air we breathe… More
Denial of Eskinder Nega’s Freedom of Movement by Ethiopian Authorities Callous and Baseless
"We are appalled by this callous and baseless infringement on Eskinder's freedom of movement. There is no active court case against Eskinder, and there are no grounds for him… More
Eskinder Nega Released from Unwarranted, Cruel, and Unjust Detention
"The current state of emergency in Ethiopia is being used to crush freedom of expression and dissent, but Eskinder has shown that he will not be silenced. This time, he and… More
Arrest and Inhumane Detention of Eskinder Nega an Outrageous Attack on Free Expression in Ethiopia
In Eskinder Nega's own words, as reported to PEN America, “[o]ur condition in prison is inhuman, to say the least. Better to call it [j]am-packed than imprisoned. About 200 of… More
Arrest of Journalist Eskinder Nega in Ethiopia Negates Progress Made Mere Weeks Earlier
"With these detentions, Ethiopia risks negating the progress made by freeing scores of political prisoners in February. We call on the government to respect these detainees’ right to free… More
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