From May to May
Ethiopia leads the world in muzzling free speech
In the past year, the magnitude of assault on free speech by the Ethiopian government has no match anywhere in the world. The following chronology testifies to the great hypocisy of some western politicians and diplomats who claim that Ethiopia is on the path towards democracy.

August, 2005

Editor of Asqual, Addis Zena and Ethiop were detained and interrogated by Federal Police

October 24, 2005

VOA reporter Meleskachew Ameha was severely beaten by government's plain clothed security personnel
October 26, 2005

Kifle Mulat, Chairman of Ethiopian Free Journalists Association, was called for questioning by the federal police

October 29, 2005

Ten Journalists were briefly detained after attending a press conference at CUDP's headquarters near Bole Medhanialem

October 30, 2005
Editor of Meznagna newspaper, Abiy Teklemariam, was detained and interrogated by the Federal Police

November 1, 2005

The offices of Menelik, Ethiop, Addis Zena , Netsanet, Hadar were surrounded by troops. The Editors of the first four newspapers escaped. The personal properties of the editors and the organizations' properties were seized. Hadar's Editor-in-Chief, Dawit kebede and Deputy-Editor-in-Chief, Feleke Tibebu, were arrested.

November 2, 2005

120,000 copies of Ethiop newspaper was seized by troops before it was circulated.
November 5, 2005: The government posted a wanted list of sixteen journalists.

November 9-14, 2005

The following journalists reported to the police after the wanted list was published. They were arrested immediately.
Zekarias Tesfaye, manager and owner of Netsanet Dereje Habtewolde, editor-in-chief of Netsanet Fassil Yenealem, manager and owner of Addis Zena Wosonseged Gebrekidan, editor-in-chief of Addis Zena
Andualem Ayle, editor-in-chief of Ethiop Nardos Meaza, editor-in-chief of Satanaw Mesfin Tesfaye, editor-in-chief of Abay Wenakseged Zeleke, editor-in-chief of Asqual

November 17, 2005

The search for the other journalists continued. An Ethiopian airlines plane which was traveling to London was turned back after 40 minutes of flight. Security Forces thought the individual named Eskedar Nega who was on board the plane was journalist Eskinder Nega, the columnist on Menelik, Asqual and Satenaw newspapers

November 27, 2005

Eskinder Nega and his pregnant wife Serkalem Fassil were arrested in the place where they were in hiding for 25 days. Dawit fassil, the brother of serkalem and a journalist, was also caught at the same place.

November 29, 2005

Sisay Agena, the owner of Ethiop, was arrested at the house of a lawyer and journalist, Samuel Tasew. Samuel was also taken into custody for aiding and abetting a fugitive. Another Journalist, Melese Gesit was also arrested for cooperating with Sisay Agena.
All journalists arrested in november excepting Samuel Tasew and Melese Gesit, were charged with outrages against the constitution and constitutional order, genocide and Impairment of the defensive power of the state. the first charge was also brought against Four web based writers and five VOA journalists.

December 1-7, 2006

Tomar, Tikusat, Moged, Meznagna, mechachal, Dagim wonchif and Seife Nebelbal newspaper were systematically prohibited from publishing. Printing houses were warned not to publish these papers by the Information Ministry
January 21, 2006

AP and IRIN correspondent Antony Michell was expelled from Ethiopia

January 27, 2006

Ethiopian review reporter Frezer Negash was arrested.

February 19, 2006

Goshu Moges, publisher of Lisane Hisb was arrested and charged with terrorism.

March 8, 2006

Abraham Gebrekidan, former editor of now-defunct Amharic-language weekly Politika was arrested. He was sentenced to a one year imprisonment for spreading false information
April 25, 2006

Abraham Reta Alemu, former editor of defunct Amharic-language weekly Ruh and a columnist at Addis Admas was sentenced to a year imprisonment for defamation
......... Tesehalene Mengesha, former deputy editor at defunct Amharic-language Mebruk was sentenced to a one year imprisonment for defamation

May 15-26, 2006

Thirty two blogs and eight websites were blocked from accessing in Ethiopia.