Ethiopia: Editor-in Chief sentenced

ETHIOPIA: ACTION ALERT
Date: Thursday 4 April, 2002

The Federal High Court had sentenced Editor-in Chef to one year in prison

The First Criminal Bench of the Federal High Court had on April 3/ 2002
sentenced M/s Lubaba Sa-id, former Editor-in-chief of Tarik newspaper to one
year inprison after the court established that she was guilty of
disseminating
in her newspaper at national level "fabricated news that could have negative
psychological effect on members of the Defence Army and cause disturbances
in
the minds of the people."

Details of the charges which the prosecuter filed against M/s Lubaba Sa-id
are
as follows:

Violation of articles 10/1- 20/1/ of Press Law Proclamation 34/1985 E.C.)
and
articles 32(1)(a), (b) and 480/a of the Penal Code. The accused has
published
two articles on pages 1 and 6 of "Tarik" newspaper (1st year No.52) issued
on
(Augest/1996-Nehassie 4/1988 E.C.) under the titles:

a) "The OPDO cadre official who has replaced Samora Yenous in Eastern Oromia
has
defected".
B) " The President's Personal security guards are said to have defected."
The prosecutor has alleged that, " ..by publishing such articles the accused
has
disseminated at national level fabricated news that could have negative
psychological effect on members of the Defence Army and cause disturbances
in
the minds of the people."
M/s. Lubaba is married and has children.

Very Urgent Request and Recomended Action !

The Ethiopian Free press Journalists' Association (EFJA) particularly calls
on
IFJ, IPI, IFEX, PEN international, WFPI, WAN, WPFC, CPJ, RSF, ARTICLE 19,
CJFE,
AJU, AI, MISA, OAU, IMF, World Bank, Africa Watch, EU member States and all
International free press institutions, counterpart professional
associations,
international human rights activists and organizations:

· To make their voices heard about serious challenge that poses a great
danger
to the very democratic right of the Ethiopian Journalists, so that they
would be
given government attention.

· To express their deep concern and protest against illegal actions and to
send
letters of appeal to Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, the Ethiopian Minister of
Foreign Affairs Ato Siyum Mesfin, the Ethiopian Minister of Justice Ato
Harka
Hariye and the Ethiopian Minister of Information Ato Bereket Simon.

· Once again we request all human rights activists and organization and
professional association throughout the world that have received this
message to
disseminate our call to all concerned and fax copies of message of us at our
fax
no.+251 1 555455 or E-mail:

4 April, 2002
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The Ethiopian Free Press Journalists' Association (EFJA)
Kifle Mulat , President

The Ethiopian Free Press Journalists' Association (EFJA) would keep you all
informed on the latest developments on this and other matter.