Without clarifying details, Ethiopia restricts the media's circulation of information about the war

Ethiopia imposes new restrictions on the circulation of information about the war in the north of the country, stipulating that the developments of events on the front lines of the battles will only come from the government. But the statement did not specify the implications of the new rules for journalists and the media covering the war.

Ethiopia announced new restrictions on the circulation of information about the war in the north of the country, stipulating that the developments of events on the front lines of the battles will only come from the government.

The government communication service said late Thursday evening: "The publication of information on military maneuvers, battle developments and results through any media is prohibited," except for information provided by the joint civil-military command that was formed to supervise the state of emergency.

The statement did not specify the implications of the new rules for journalists and the media covering the war that broke out in November 2020 between the government and the forces of the Tigray People's Liberation Front.

The statement did not mention, for example, the consequences of publishing information provided by sources it was not authorized to provide. The agency responsible for regulating the work of the media in Ethiopia did not respond to calls from Reuters seeking clarification.

"The state of emergency prevents unauthorized entities from publishing what is related to activities on the front line through several channels, including the media," Bellini Seyoum, a spokeswoman for the prime minister, told Reuters Friday, without giving further details.

The Ethiopian parliament has designated the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) a terrorist group this year. In the statement, the State Communications Service directed "those who use freedom of expression as a pretext... to support a terrorist group" to stop doing so.

According to a Reuters tally, the authorities have arrested 38 journalists and media workers since early 2020, most of them since the beginning of the conflict.

When asked about the arrests in May, the media regulator said: "Freedom of expression and the protection of the press are sacred values ​​enshrined in the Ethiopian constitution."