ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — An Ethiopian court has sentenced journalist Ahmed Awga to two years in prison for disseminating hateful information based on a Facebook post that evidence suggests he did not author, raising concerns among press freedom advocates about the state of media rights in the country.
Mr. Awga, founder of the Jigjiga Television Network in Ethiopia’s Somali Region, was convicted on May 22 by the Fafen Zone High Court in Jigjiga, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
He had been detained since April 23, initially facing incitement charges related to an interview he conducted with a man whose son died following an alleged police beating.
The charges were later amended to “propagation of disinformation and public incitement” under Ethiopia’s 2020 anti-hate speech law.
The court’s decision was based on allegations that Mr. Awga posted statements on April 17 describing a regional election as a “so-called election,” accusing officials of holding the population hostage, and claiming specific districts were seized by certain individuals.
He was also accused of inciting residents by allegedly stating, “we have no justice — only killing and death.”
However, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reviewed the prosecution’s evidence and found that the conviction was primarily based on a post dated April 20, which originated from another Facebook page.
Mr. Awga’s account had merely been tagged in the post, and none of his own posts from April 17 appeared to reference the statements listed in the charge sheet.
“Ahmed Awga’s conviction and two-year prison sentence, based on a Facebook post he didn’t write, is outrageous and a stark illustration of Ethiopia’s escalating assault on press freedom,” said Angela Quintal, CPJ’s Africa regional director.
“Ethiopian authorities must cease using the legal system to silence critical voices.”
The sentencing comes amid a broader crackdown on media in Ethiopia. At least six other journalists were arrested in April alone, as the government tightened its control over the Ethiopian Media Authority, the country’s media regulator.
In a May 27 interview with the BBC’s Somali service, Somali Region President Mustafa Mohammed Omar rejected suggestions that individuals were being jailed solely for online expression.
He stated that the four people currently in custody — “a journalist, a former official, and two activists” — face charges of “harming the reputation of security agencies, spreading false information about jail conditions, and exploiting the death of an inmate to incite the public.” He added that the regional judiciary is independent.
Ethiopia’s press freedom has been under scrutiny in recent years.
In its 2025 World Press Freedom Index, Reporters Without Borders ranked Ethiopia 145th out of 180 countries, placing it in the “very serious” category for the first time.
The organization attributed the drop to “growing political interference,” limited editorial independence, and fragile media economics.
The Committee to Protect Journalists, in its 2024 prison census, also listed Ethiopia among the worst jailers of journalists in Africa, with six journalists detained — five of whom are facing “terrorism” charges that could carry death sentences.
Mr. Awga’s case has drawn international attention, with press freedom advocates calling for his immediate release and urging Ethiopian authorities to uphold the rights of journalists and freedom of expression.
