Take Action: Eskinder Nega Verdict Due Next Week
The trial of Eskinder Nega, the imprisonment of several of his colleagues on similar spurious charges, and the fact that Ethiopia has driven so many journalists into exile over the last decade, has eroded confidence in Prime Minister Meles’ commitment to press freedom and to other individual liberties that are guaranteed by the Ethiopian constitution and fundamental to any democracy.
Noting that members of Congress will be watching what happens in the Ethiopian High Court next week, Leahy concluded:
What happens to Eskinder Nega and other journalists there will resonate loudly not only in Ethiopia, but also in the United States Congress.
Certainly all eyes in the PEN world will be on that courtroom as well. You can read more about Senator Leahy’s statement here. PEN asks that you make your voice heard on this important case by sending a letter to the Ethiopian government urging Nega’s immediate release. Just click here to use PEN’s online letter writing program to draft a print a personalized letter.