A Reuters cameraman was arrested in Ethiopia after police raided his home and confiscated his computer, phone and other equipment, Reuters reported Monday.
In a statement, the news agency condemned Thursday’s arrest and stated that 38-year-old Kumerra Gemechu had been given no reason for his detention and was arrested in front of his wife and children.
The Reuters cameraman had reportedly been involved in clashes between government forces and rebels in the northern Tigray region.
“Kumerra is part of a Reuters team that reports from Ethiopia in a fair, independent and impartial manner. Kumerra’s work is a testament to his professionalism and impartiality, and we are aware that there is no basis for his detention, ”said Stephen Adler, editor-in-chief of Reuters.
“Journalists should be able to report the news in the public interest without fear of intimidation or harm, wherever they are. We will not rest until Kumerra is released, ”Adler continued.
Although Kumerra was given no reason for his arrest, a judge reportedly saw his case Friday and gave police two weeks to investigate him, with Kumerra remaining in detention for the time being. Authorities have reportedly cracked down on journalists who reported on the government’s fighting in Tigray in recent months, and a handful have been arrested.
Government spokespersons did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment. The Journalists Protection Committee, which reported earlier this month that a record number of journalists were jailed worldwide in 2020, called Kumerra’s arrest “ the latest example of how press freedom under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is rapidly declining after a short-lived hope for reform. in a statement Monday to the news agency.