By Staff Writer
(Nairobi, Kenya) — In an alarming blow to independent journalism in Ethiopia, Yonas Kedir, the Editor-in-Chief of Addis Standard, was abducted and beaten by security forces, according to a statement released by the outlet’s parent company, Jakenn Publishing PLC.
The ordeal began on the evening of Saturday, July 25, when two men in plain clothes intercepted Yonas. According to the publisher, he was physically assaulted, thrown into the back of a pickup truck, and accused of “selling out the country.” Blindfolded during transport, Yonas later caught sight of military license plates on the vehicle as he was dropped off near his home—following nearly 24 hours of exhausting interrogation.
The crackdown quickly spread from Yonas to the publication itself. The very next day, heavily armed security and intelligence agents raided Addis Standard’s newsroom, seizing and damaging critical broadcasting gear, cameras, and personal equipment. By Monday, the pressure escalated further when the landlord ordered the media house to pack up and vacate the office space it had occupied for 16 years within just three days—a sudden eviction notice the company believes was forced by local police.
Jakenn Publishing PLC condemned the coordinated attacks, warning that such unlawful tactics pose a direct threat to the survival of free media and the rule of law in the country.
This raid is part of a troubling pattern for press freedom in Ethiopia. According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the country currently ranks 148th out of 180 nations on the World Press Freedom Index, with at least 10 journalists currently behind bars.
For news organizations like Addis Standard, operating independently has become an increasingly dangerous endeavor as authorities continue to tighten their grip on critical reporting.
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Correction. Yonas “was abducted and beaten by security forces” should read: Abiy ordered Yonaa be “abducted and beaten by security forces.”