His Excellency Meles Zenawi
Prime Minister
Office of the Prime Minister
P.O. Box 1031
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia

Vienna, 18 October 2000

Your Excellency,

The International Press Institute, the global network of editors and media executives, strongly condemns the fine imposed on journalist Taye Belachew by the Federal High Court of Ethiopia.

According to information provided to IPI, Belachew, the former editor-in-chief of the Amharic monthly magazine Tobia, received a fine of approximately US $1,500 from the Federal High Court of Ethiopia on 17 October. The fine was imposed by the court after Belachew was found guilty of allegedly spreading false rumours against the government and arousing hatred against the Tigana-speaking peoples of Ethiopia.

Both charges were brought under articles 10/1, 10/2 and 20/1 of the Press Proclamation No. 34/92 and article 480 of the harsh penal code. Prosecution evidence of Belachew’s guilt was founded on two articles entitled, “The strategy for re-unification of Mereb Melash (Eritrea) with Ethiopia” and “The root of All sprouted from this land”, contained in Tobia, Volume 4 (No’s 11 and 12, respectively). While awaiting a trial date, Belachew spent 77 days in the Central Investigation Department Prison.

In the belief of IPI, the imposition of the severe fine is unjustified and disproportionate to the supposed offence. Indeed, it would appear that the inflated sum has been arrived at by the court in full knowledge that the journalist will be unable to pay the fine, thus ensuring that the journalist remains in prison. Furthermore, IPI would remind Your Excellency that the prosecution of the editor is in clear breach of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that “Everyone has the right to … seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media”.

IPI, therefore, calls on Your Excellency, to do everything in your power to ensure that the fine imposed against Belachew is rescinded, thus ensuring that the principles of press freedom are guaranteed in Ethiopia.

We thank you for your attention.

Yours sincerely,

Johann P. Fritz
Director