Swedish Journalists violent arrest roundly condemned

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Swedish Journalists violent arrest roundly condemned

 

IFJ Condemns Violent Arrest of Two Swedish Journalists in Ethiopia

 

 

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its European group, the Federation of European Journalists (EFJ) today condemn in the strongest terms the violent arrest of two Swedish journalists in the O'gaden region on the border with Somalia. Photojournalist Johan Persson and reporter Martin Schibbye, were arrested on 27 June 2011 while reporting on the rebel movement, the O'gaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), which is fighting the Ethiopian government in the region. The two journalists were also injured after coming under fire from the Ethiopian military.

 

 

 

The IFJ/EFJ accuse Ethiopian soldiers of deliberately endangering the journalists’ safety following reports that they military had been tipped off over the movements of the two reporters in the vicinity by officials of the Puntland Administration in neighbouring Somalia. The two journalists are believed to have been transferred to Addis Ababa and may face terrorist charges as the ONLF is considered a terrorist group by the Ethiopian authorities.

 

 

”Journalists are systematically denied access to the O'gaden region and the authorities often resort to violence to suppress reporting on the region,” said Gabriel Baglo, IFJ Africa Director. “This reckless targeting of the journalists shows appalling disregard of human life. We hold the Ethiopian government responsible for the safety and wellbeing of the journalists who must be released immediately so that they can receive medical treatment for their wounds.”

 

According to the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), IFJ affiliate, Schibbye and Persson who work for Kontinent, a Swedish photojournalist agency, landed at Galkayo airport in Puntland and were travelling from Puntland to a region in Ethiopia which is controlled by rebel forces of O'gaden National Liberation Front when they were followed, attacked and arrested.

 

The EFJ also called on the Ethiopian government to respect the journalists’ right to work independently.

 

“These colleagues were only trying to do their job, reporting on a conflict which is not well understood outside the region,” said EFJ President, Arne König. “It is the duty of journalists to provide independent and impartial information which requires access to the location.”

 

For more information contact the IFJ at +221 33 867 95 87 / +32 2 235 2200

 

The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 131 countries worldwide

Press Release

ARM Condemns the Arrest and Continued Detention of

Two Journalists in Ethiopia’s O'gaden Region

 

African Rights Monitor-ARM condemns the arrest and the illegal detention of the

freelance journalists Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye who were arrested on

July 01, 2011 by the Ethiopian Forces in the O'gaden region. The two journalists

took risk to fulfill their journalistic duties and to cover the dramatic human and

social atrocities committed against the civilians in the O'gaden by the Ethiopian

military. The Ethiopian government has sealed off the O'gaden region to

international humanitarian NGOs, including human rights defenders and the

international press to operate freely in the region.

 

African Rights Monitor-ARM calls upon the Ethiopian government to

unconditionally free Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye and to lift the

restrictions on the international press and allow NGOs to help the civilians

ravaged by the war and famine

UNPO calls for the immediate release of the journalists, Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye. UNPO also condemns the current information blockade and strongly urges the Ethiopian government to allow entry of reporters, human rights advocates and humanitarian aid to the O'gaden region.

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Reporters Without Borders condemns the apparent complicity between the Ethiopian authorities and those in Somalia’s semi-autonomous northeastern region of Puntland in arresting journalists and gagging the media.

Since their arrest, Sweden has refrained from open criticism of Ethiopia. Considering the sensitive situation, critical comments are obviously considered to risk causing more damage than good.

 

On Thursday, however, the Foreign Ministry published their first report in three years on the human rights situation in 188 countries. The chapter on Ethiopia does not make for pretty reading.

 

"Over the past four years a deterioration of respect for human rights has occurred," states the report.

 

Several journalist organisations are now joining the protests against the Swedes' situation. The Swedish Union of Journalists (Svenska journalistförbundet - SJF) and Swedish Union of Photographers (Svenska Fotografers Förbund) are demanding their release.

 

"They were arrested while carrying out journalistic work, and ought therefore never to have been arrested or captured at all," commented Jonas Nordling, SJF's chairman, in a statement.

 

The International Federation of Journalists condemn the arrests "in the strongest possible terms" and demand that the Swedes be given access to healthcare.

 

The United States-based international journalist organisation CPJ, and Reporters without Borders (Reportrar utan gränser) have previously made similar demands.