Since the 2007 presidential pardon, the Sisay and Serkalem houses have repeatedly applied for publishing licenses, which they continue to be denied. Since then, all of the imprisoned editors have left the country, where they are living in exile. Later that year, the editors were freed and the fines dropped under a presidential amnesty. ![]() The publishers were acquitted in 2007 however, the editors from their publications were sentenced to life in prison, and fines were imposed against the publishing houses, Nega told IPI. Fasil gave birth to her child while in jail. Their owners, Fasil, Eskinder, Agena, Tesfaye and Yenealem, were jailed along with several other journalists, on charges ranging from genocide to subverting the constitution. The four publishing houses were shut down in 2005 during a notorious post-election crackdown on the political opposition – and the independent press. We will continue to apply for publishing licenses and push for our rights, including press freedom,” Nega said. “They want to drive us out, but they will not succeed. Nega told IPI that the Supreme Court ruling appeared to be an effort to force him and the other defendants to leave the country – as have many of their colleagues over the past few years. The fines are exorbitant and unwarranted. “No elections process can be deemed to be fair and transparent if it is accompanied by intimidation of the press. “In the run-up to 23 May elections, developments such as these are unfortunate evidence of the pressuring of the independent media,” said IPI Press Freedom Manager Anthony Mills. €6,600) – the highest of the upheld fines.īecause the publishing house proprietors, Serkalem Fasil, Eskinder Nega, Sisay Agena, Zekarias Tesfaye and Fasil Yenealem, are unable to pay the high fines, the government has requested that the court “freeze all liquid and fixed assets” belonging to them. €830).” Nega and his wife Fasil must pay 120,000 Birr (approx. The largest fine against a publisher until now was 15,000 Birr (approx. “This is the largest fine that has been imposed for a criminal charge, ever. ![]() “It’s nothing in the American or European context, but for us it’s huge,” Eskinder Nega told IPI by phone from Addis Ababa. €830 to €6,600) according to an emailed statement from Eskinder Nega and Serkalem Fasil, co-owners of the Serkalem publishing company. But today, the Ethiopian Supreme Court overturned the previous ruling, ordering the four houses to pay fines ranging from 15,000 to 120,000 Birr (approx. Journalists and press freedom groups welcomed the decision. Last year, the Ethiopian High Court ruled that a 2007 presidential amnesty to journalists and publishing houses also covered the fines. ![]() €16,100) – more than the average Ethiopian would earn in a century, according to income figures from the International Fund for Agricultural Development. The four publishing companies, Serkalem, Sisay, Zekarias and Fasil, must now pay a total of 295,000 Birr (approx. Ethiopia Supreme Court Orders Publishing Houses to Pay Country’s Highest Ever Fine, Say Publishers / ‘They Want to Drive Us Out, but They Will not Succeed’ĪDDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, March 9, 2010/African Press Organization (APO)/ - The Ethiopian Supreme Court today ruled against four independent media houses, forcing them to pay fines that were originally rendered void under a 2007 pardon.
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