HRW Urges Ethiopia to End Crackdown on Journalists Ahead of 2026 Elections

HRW Urges Ethiopia to End Crackdown on Journalists Ahead of 2026 Elections
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Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on Ethiopian authorities to halt the targeting of independent journalists amid a rise in arrests and harassment in recent months. The appeal, reported by AFP, comes as the country prepares for parliamentary elections scheduled for June 2026.

Laetitia Bader, deputy Africa director at HRW, said the government’s actions aim to silence independent media and restrict public scrutiny, warning that such measures pose a direct threat to freedom of expression and access to information. The warning follows similar concerns raised by Reporters Without Borders, which noted increasing restrictions on press freedom and arbitrary practices against journalists.

On September 3, security forces detained three reporters from the private station Sheger FM after it aired a program highlighting health workers’ demands for better pay. Despite complying with an order from the Ethiopian Media Authority to remove the broadcast, the journalists were arrested. Rights groups caution that this crackdown undermines media independence and risks eroding confidence in Ethiopia’s upcoming elections amid broader political and security challenges.