Journalist Tewodros Asfaw has been detained by security forces for the second time in two months as Ethiopian government crackdown on non-state media professionals intensifies.
Multiple media reports indicate, Tewodros was arrested from his home in Addis Ababa on Thursday.
Tewodros a former staff at Abbay media and Addis Zeybe media outlets had recently founded a YouTube based media outlet, Ethio-Selam.
On Wednesday, freelance journalist, Dawit Begashaw was abducted by security forces, his colleague Mulugeta Anberbir disclosed.
Dawit was abducted by security forces from Homeland hotel, in Bahir-Dar city, administrative capital of Ethiopia’s Amhara region, Mulugeta further disclosed.
Dawit had previously worked at various media outlets including Fana Broadcasting Corporate (FBC), Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) and Al-Ain Amharic. Dawit has recently co-founded a web-based media outlet, Arat-Kilo media.
In recent months, non-state affiliated media outlets are coming under relentless attacks as the Ethiopian government moves to stifle dissident voices.
The crackdown prompted the Ethiopian Mass Media Professionals Association, Ethiopia’s largest journalists and media worker’s association to issue a statement on Friday calling for the immediate release of “unjustly detained journalists”.
