EMF – Reeyot Alemu is awarded today the “2012 Courage in Journalism” Prize by International Women’s Media Foundation. Elias Wondimu of Tsehai Publishers accepted the award on behalf of Reeyot Alemu.
Journalist Reeyot Alemu has been jailed at kality prison for more than a year, branded as a terrorist. Her commitment to work as independent journalist while the prospect was increasingly dangerous. Her refusal to self-censor and her unwillingness to the usual apologies in exchange for her freedom, makes her exceptional.
First, I want to express my great thanks for the officials and staff of the IWMF for giving reward to my efforts and courage.The following is her speech which has been read during the award ceremony. Elias Wondimu accepted her award in her behalf.
I also wish to express my deep appreciation to my fiancé Sileshi Hagos, family and friends for their strong support and encouragement throughout my endeavor.
Next, I would like to say something about my country’s current political condition and the reason why I am arrested.
When I became politically aware, I understood that being a supporter or member of a ruling party is a prerequisite to live safely and to get a job. If someone tries to be out of this circle, he or she will be punished. I am one of them who tries to object EPRDF because of its bad doings.
Shooting the people who march through the streets demanding freedom and democracy, jailing the opposition party leaders and journalists because of only they have different looking from the ruling party, preventing freedom of speech, association and the press, corruption and domination of one tribe are some of the bad doings of our government.
As a journalist who feels responsibility to change these bad facts, I was preparing articles that oppose the injustices I explained before.
When I did it, I know that I would pay the price for my courage and I was ready to accept that price. Because journalism is a profession that I am willing to devote myself.
I know for EPRDF, journalists must be only propaganda machines for the ruing party. But for me, journalists are the voices of the voiceless.
That’s why I wrote many articles which reveal the truth of the oppressed ones.
Even if I am facing a lot of problems because of it, I always stand firmly for my principle and profession.
Lastly, I want to ask the international community to understand about the real Ethiopia. The real Ethiopia isn’t like that you watch in Ethiopia television or as you listen to the government officials talk about it.
In real Ethiopia, a lot of repressions are being done. My story can show you the story of many Ethiopians who are in prison because of their independent thinking.
Please, try your best to change this bad reality.
Thanks,
Reeyot Alemu
The following statement is taken from IWMF.
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Reeyot Alemu
A CRITICAL VOICE LOST TO ETHIOPIA’S WAR ON INFORMATION
In jail, Reeyot Alemu was offered clemency if she agreed to testify against journalist colleagues. She refused and was sent to solitary confinement for 13 days as punishment for her failure to cooperate. She is currently being kept at Kality prison, which is known for its filthy conditions. Recently, she has fallen ill; in April of this year she underwent surgery at nearby hospital to remove a tumor from her breast, after which she was returned to jail with no recovery time.
“I believe that I must contribute something to bring a better future,” Alemu said in an earlier interview with the IWMF. “Since there are a lot of injustices and oppressions in Ethiopia, I must reveal and oppose them in my articles.” Alemu said one of her “principles” is “to stand for the truth, whether it is risky or not.”
To work for free media in Ethiopia is indeed a risk. The country has the second-highest number of imprisoned journalists in Africa, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, after notoriously oppressive Eritrea. Late Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi publicly attacked non-state members of the press, calling them “messengers” of terrorist groups. Increasingly, “terrorist” is a label attached to any entity with an opinion on politics, social issues or human rights that does conform to government rhetoric. In the capital city of Addis Ababa, Alemu worked for numerous, often short-lived independent publications. At least four news outlets to which she contributed were forced out of business by the Ethiopian government. Her reporting explored the root causes of poverty, lack of balance in national politics and gender equality. In 2010, she founded her own publishing house and a monthly magazine called Change, both of which were shuttered.
In the months prior to her arrest, Alemu was slandered in government-run media for her reporting, a common tactic to intimidate journalists. According to a colleague, Alemu also received threatening phone calls. “Reeyot was able to speak about issues even the most mature and outspoken political opposition leaders were unable to voice,” said a friend of Alemu’s who works at an Addis University. “Until this day, she has…faced up to the challenges that many have bowed down to.”
Alemu taught English classes at an Addis high school. She gave part of her salary to her students from poor families. It was at the school that she was arrested in June 2011. Her home was raided by police and a number of her personal documents were seized. At the time, she was working as a columnist for independent daily newspaper Féteh.
For more than a week, Alemu was held with no indication as to why she was detained. Then, a government spokesman announced at a press conference that Alemu was one of nine people suspected of organizing terrorism. The terrorist group they were accused of abetting was unnamed and specific crimes were not cited. It was two months before Alemu and another journalist in the group of nine were formally charged.
Cover of Alemu’s book titled “EPRDF’s Red Pen”, published in August 2012
Alemu is one in a number of journalists who have been prosecuted under the vaguely worded and broad-reaching anti-terrorism laws passed by the Ethiopian legislature in 2009. The laws allow for the arrest of anyone thought to “encourage” parties labeled as terrorists.
Under this law, Alemu was sentenced to 14 years in prison and fined 33,000 birrs (about $1,850). Prior to her arrest, she made less than $100 per month at her teaching job and little more as a reporter. During her trial, government prosecutors presented articles Alemu had written criticizing the prime minister, as well as telephone conversations she had regarding peaceful protests, as evidence against her. In August 2012, an appeals court subsequently reduced the 14-year prison sentence to 5 years and dropped most of the terrorism charges against her.
The Ethiopian government has effectively limited media coverage to topics friendly to the ruling EPRDF (Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front), which holds more than 99% of seats in parliament. It has done this through charges of treason and terrorism levied against reporters and free media, public criticism of journalists and passage of laws that punish sources of information about opposition political parties and questions of human rights.
Alemu was willing to risk her freedom to challenge the standard explanations, or failure to explain, the systemic decay in her country. According to her friends and colleagues, she thought she could make a difference in the trajectory of her people; she thought her work might make things better. And now she has been silenced, like so many others.
“She is a person who has a bright vision for her country,” said a friend and former colleague based in Addis. “But, she is in prison.”
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