EMF – Editor-in-chief of Awramba times, journalist Dawit Kebede and the editor of Harambe newspapers were summoned at Addis Ababa police today, sources said. As part of new wave of attack on the press, the two editors were charged with five and three cases respectively and released on bail.

Meles Zenawi’s regime has recently intensified its attacks against the private press. (Picture: Dawit Kebede, editor-in-chief of Awramba)

Dawit Kebede was charged with supreme law of the land, the constitution of the FDRE. The publication dates of Awramba time’s editions that brought in police investigations include its editorial on April 23-2008 and news stories on May 07-2008, May 20-2008, June 03-2008 and June 10-2008.

Harambe was charged for its editorial on April 15 entitled “EPRDF shall reform itself from the failed elections of 2008.” The other two charges against the editor of Harambe are the opinion from the readers on April 23 publication, and an interview on its May 21-2008 issue.

In its recent press release CPJ has reported that police has threatened on Monday to block distribution of an independently-owned newspaper if it continues its leading coverage of a new political opposition movement, according to local journalists.

“The Amharic-language weekly Awramba Times reported on Tuesday that it had received two separate phone warnings from top police officials to stop any coverage of “anti-constitutional organizations,” Editor Dawit Kebede told CPJ. The warning referred to the paper’s extensive coverage of the activities of the Netherlands-based Ginbot 7 Movement.” According to the New York based media watch dog.