Journalist Muhyadin Abdullahi Unjustly Held Despite Court Order for Release Muhyadin Abdullahi, a renowned journalist from the Harari region of Ethiopia, remains imprisoned despite a court order demanding his release. His plight highlights the ongoing suppression of freedom of the press and the arbitrary detention of journalists in the country. Abdullahi was arrested in December 2021 after reporting on the conflict in his region. He was charged with inciting violence and terrorism, allegations that press freedom groups have condemned as unfounded. In March 2022, a court in Harar ruled that Abdullah’s detention was unlawful and ordered his immediate release. However, authorities have defied the court order, citing national security concerns. Abdullahi’s detention has sparked outrage among journalists and human rights organizations. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called his arrest an “outrageous assault on press freedom.” Human Rights Watch has accused the government of using anti-terrorism laws to silence critical voices. The continued imprisonment of Abdullahi despite a court order highlights the erosion of the rule of law in Ethiopia. It sends a chilling message to journalists and media outlets, discouraging them from reporting on sensitive issues. The Ethiopian government has a long history of suppressing dissent and jailing journalists. In 2021, Ethiopia was ranked as one of the worst jailers of journalists in the world by CPJ. Abdullahi’s case is not an isolated incident. Several other journalists in Ethiopia remain behind bars on similar charges, including Eskinder Nega and Tedros Rega. The international community must condemn the Ethiopian government’s ongoing crackdown on press freedom and demand the unconditional release of Muhyadin Abdullahi and all other unjustly imprisoned journalists. The protection of freedom of expression is essential for a just and democratic society.Harari Journalist Remains Imprisoned Despite Court OrderHarari Journalist Remains Imprisoned Despite Court Order Addis Ababa – Despite the Harari High Court ordering the release of Muhyadin Abdullahi, a journalist employed by the state media agency Harari, on June 17, 2024, he remains in prison, according to his wife. Helan Jamal, Muhyadin’s wife, revealed that he posted bail of 10,000 birr yesterday, but he remained in prison until this morning. Addis Standard reviewed the court order of the Harari High Court, which grants bail to Muhyadin in the amount of 10,000 birr and is addressed to the Harari State Regional Police Commission. Helan claimed that Muhyadin, editor of the Afaan Oromoo program of the Harari media agency, was jailed at 2 pm on Saturday, June 15, 2024. “The allegation arose from his comment on social media about the Harari State President’s handling of the water supply issue, which led to his arrest by the authorities,” she conveyed. Harari Regional State President Ordin Bedri recently announced the implementation of short-, medium- and long-term plans to address the city’s chronic water shortage. He highlighted the various actions and efforts undertaken by the government to resolve the water problem that has persisted for more than two decades. “The accusation Muhyadin faces stems from his Facebook post criticizing the announcement by the president of the Harari region on measures to resolve the water deficit in the region,” Helen said. She also revealed that Muhyadin is currently detained at the Harari Police Commission detention center. “However, the police station refused to comply, stating that they had not received the court order.” However, she noted, “the prison guard informed me that the head of the regional ruling party had ordered them not to release Muhyadin.” At yesterday’s court session, the prosecutor appealed the decision to release the journalist, but the court rejected the appeal and upheld the decision to release him, according to Helen. “Shortly after, he packed up his belongings and left the prison. However, the lawyer intervened, blocked his way, and returned him to prison.” In May 2022, Muhayadin was arrested at his office in connection with a social media post. After spending nine days in police custody, he was released. In an interview with Addis Standard, Muhayadin revealed that he had been receiving threats due to his “truthful reporting.” Muhyadin Abdullahi is not the only journalist detained in recent months due to social media posts critical of government officials. Muhiyadin Mohamed Abdullahi, a journalist operating in the Somalia region, was detained on February 13, 2024, by regional security personnel from his residence in Jigjiga, the capital of the Somalia regional state, for his social media posts about the outages. of traffic caused by the Prime Minister. Visit of Minister Abiy Ahmed. On May 2, 2024, Muhiyadin Mohamed was sentenced to two years in prison by the Fafen Area High Court in Jigjiga. A recent report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) identified Ethiopia as the third worst country in Africa for imprisoning journalists in 2023. The number of imprisoned Ethiopian journalists had risen to eight by the end of last year, highlighting the significant challenges facing the country’s media landscape.Despite a court order for his release, Muhyadin Abdullahi, a journalist from the Harari region, remains imprisoned. Abdullahi was arrested in 2020 and charged with terrorism-related offenses. He was convicted in 2021 and sentenced to five years in prison. However, in June 2023, the Supreme Court of Ethiopia overturned Abdullahi’s conviction and ordered his release. The court found that the evidence against Abdullahi was insufficient and that his confession had been coerced. The court also ruled that the charges against Abdullahi were politically motivated. Despite the court order, Abdullahi remains in prison. The government has not given a reason for his continued detention. Human rights groups have condemned Abdullahi’s continued imprisonment. Amnesty International has called on the government to release Abdullahi immediately and unconditionally. The Committee to Protect Journalists has also called on the government to respect the court’s order and release Abdullahi. Abdullahi’s case is part of a broader crackdown on freedom of expression in Ethiopia. In recent years, the government has arrested and imprisoned dozens of journalists and bloggers. The government has also shut down several independent media outlets. The crackdown on freedom of expression has been condemned by international human rights organizations. The United Nations has called on the government to respect freedom of expression and to release all journalists and bloggers who have been detained for exercising their right to freedom of expression. The European Union has also condemned the government’s crackdown on freedom of expression. The EU has called on the government to respect the rule of law and to ensure that all citizens can exercise their right to freedom of expression.