Ethiopian Authorities Arrest Journalists in Widening Media Crackdown

Human Rights Watch and press freedom groups report that Ethiopian authorities have detained at least six journalists and media workers since early August—among them Sheger FM staff and editor Yonas Amare—amid legal changes that concentrate media oversight power and increased use of hate speech and disinformation laws; the Committee to Protect Journalists also urged dropping terrorism charges against Ethiopian Broadcasting Service reporters, underscoring a shrinking space for independent reporting ahead of the 2026 elections.