''Addis Neger'' (

Amharic Amharic ( or ; (Amharic: ), ', ) is an Ethiopian Semitic language, which is a subgrouping within the Semitic branch of the Afroasiatic languages. It is spoken as a first language by the Amharas, and also serves as a lingua franca for all oth ...

"New Thing") was an Ethiopian weekly

newspaper A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as politics, business, sports a ...

founded in 2007 by six journalists. It rapidly rose to prominence due to its presentations of credible and researched viewpoints before its sudden closure in December 2009. It was one of the few independent voices in Ethiopia. In 2009 all of Addis Neger's editors, including managing editor

Mesfin Negash Mesfin Negash (Amharic: መስፍን ነጋሽ) is an Ethiopian journalist, political commentator for Addis Neger and columnist for ''Sampsonia Way Magazine''. He is a graduate of Addis Ababa University where he studied political science. Caree ...

, executive editor,

Abiye Teklemariam Abiye Teklemariam Megenta, also known as Abiye Teklemariam, is an Ethiopian print and radio journalist who co-founded the defunct '' Addis Neger'', which was the largest private newspaper in Ethiopia before its closure in December 2009. Three top e ...

, editor-in-chief

Tamerat Negera Tamerat Negera is an Ethiopian journalist, analyst, and a commentator on Ethiopian politics. He was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially ...

and other contributors and writers quietly slipped out of the country, fleeing from intimidation.

Overview

Allegedly, criminal charges were being prepared and staff were threatened. Early December 2009, when all six of its founding editors were safely outside of the country, they announced the closing down of their newspaper. They claimed that they had learned that the government was preparing to bring charges against them. It was the culmination of "months of persecution and harassment", they said in a final statement. They feared that the Ethiopian government was planning a repeat of the crackdown that imprisoned thousands of people after the disputed 2005 election. Military and police officers then killed about 200 opposition protesters, and many journalists and politicians were jailed for the next two years. According to

Reporters Without Borders Reporters Without Borders (RWB; french: Reporters sans frontières; RSF) is an international non-profit and non-governmental organization with the stated aim of safeguarding the right to freedom of information. It describes its advocacy as found ...

, websites that criticized the government were blocked, and even text messaging on cellphones was restricted. The closure of the paper caused donor countries to issue statements of concern. The European Union called for investigation of the allegation and those responsible to be held accountable. The U.S. Embassy issued a statement on December 10 expressing concern that such moves "contribute to a perception that space for independent media in Ethiopia is constrained.". The Ethiopian authorities dismissed the allegations and claimed that ''Addis Negers decision had ulterior political and personal intentions. In an official statement released by the country's foreign ministry, the government said that the closure of the newspaper was intended to feed false accusations that independent media space in Ethiopia was constrained "Ensuring the Integrity of Elections in 2010: Is Addis Neger’s self-closure part of an anti-government campaign?"
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References

External links

''Addis Neger'' official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Addis Neger (Newspaper) Weekly newspapers published in Ethiopia Mass media in Addis Ababa Newspapers established in 2007 Publications disestablished in 2009 2007 establishments in Ethiopia 2009 disestablishments in Ethiopia Defunct newspapers published in Ethiopia Defunct weekly newspapers