The Editor-in-Chief of The Reporter was detained this week by the Addis Ababa Police Commission, following the newspaper’s investigative coverage of corruption in Ethiopia’s mining sector.
The arrest took place after a series of articles exposing alleged illicit activities in the industry, sparking tensions between the publication and authorities.
On October 15, 2024, police officers arrived at The Reporter’s office on Cameroon Street without a warrant or court order.
The following day, they detained the Editor-in-Chief and escorted him to Bole Sub-city Police Station, located in the Gerji neighborhood. There, he was held for several hours, with his lawyer denied access during the interrogation.
The police did not provide any evidence or legal justification for the arrest, instead claiming the newspaper’s articles were compromising national security. “You must stop writing, editing, and publishing articles on mining corruption,” warned Commissioner Admassu Iffa, head of Bole Sub-city Police.
He asserted that The Reporter was endangering the country by covering issues the authorities deny, adding, “There is no mining corruption that we know of in this country.”
The newspaper’s recent investigative report, published on October 12, 2024, focused on the transfer of 5.75 million shares from the Kurmuk Gold mining project to an Egyptian company.
The series also delved into allegations of corruption in the lucrative mining industry in Benishangul-Gumuz Regional State. During the interrogation, Commissioner Admassu accused the editor of conspiring with foreign entities, stating, “You cannot side with Egypt and work against Ethiopia.”
Despite the editor’s insistence that The Reporter adheres to evidence-based journalism, the police accused the paper of defamation and slander, especially regarding articles implicating government officials and military personnel in illegal mining operations. However, the officers were unable to present any evidence supporting these claims.
“If you have evidence of officials or generals involved in illegal gold trading, submit it to the ENDF [Ethiopian National Defense Force] or the intelligence service, but you cannot publish it,” one unidentified intelligence officer said.
He also issued a chilling warning, threatening severe consequences if the newspaper continued its reporting on these issues. “Next time, we’ll take you somewhere hidden,” he added.
During the interrogation, the editor pointed to The Reporter’s rigorous editorial process and its commitment to transparency, highlighting that any errors are addressed through the Ethiopian Broadcast Authority and the Ethiopian Media Council.
However, these arguments were disregarded by the police. A senior officer present remarked that reporting on such matters is a criminal act. “Even if you know what’s wrong, you must refrain from exposing it through the media,” the officer stated, before confiscating the editor’s phone.
The police also suggested that they are closely monitoring the editor’s activities, emphasizing the potential danger he faces if the publication continues its investigative work on mining corruption.
The editor was eventually released, but the incident marks another attempt by authorities to stifle reporting on corruption in Ethiopia’s mining sector.
This is not the first time The Reporter has faced pressure from the government over its investigative pieces. In August, senior editors were summoned to the Ministry of Mines, where officials tried to halt the publication’s investigative articles by framing them as national security threats.
The ongoing conflict between The Reporter and Ethiopian authorities reflects a broader struggle over press freedom and the exposure of corruption within the country’s vital mining industry.
Source Reporter News Paper
