Omanghana
Yonas Kedir, editor-in-chief of the independent Ethiopian news outlet Addis Standard, was reportedly detained, physically assaulted and questioned for approximately 24 hours over the publication’s journalism.
The incident was followed by a security raid on the organization’s Addis Ababa offices, the seizure and destruction of production equipment and an order to vacate the premises it has occupied for 16 years.
JAKENN Publishing PLC, the parent company of Addis Standard, said Kedir was seized by security personnel in Addis Ababa on August 1, 2026.
According to the publisher, two men in civilian clothing forced him into a pickup truck and took him to an undisclosed location. He was allegedly held incommunicado, physically assaulted and subjected to an extended interrogation about his professional activities.
Kedir said his interrogators questioned him extensively about Addis Standard’s coverage and accused him of “selling the country out.” He has since been released and provided a detailed account of the incident to his legal representatives.
On August 2, heavily armed security and intelligence personnel reportedly raided the publication’s offices without presenting a clear legal basis for the operation.
The team confiscated 4K video cameras, microphones, tripods, video-mixing devices, batteries and other equipment used by the newsroom’s multimedia unit.
JAKENN Publishing also alleged that studio lighting systems, equipment stands, power accessories and other production materials were deliberately damaged. The company said it had documented the losses as evidence for legal proceedings.
A day later, the publication’s landlord issued a notice ordering JAKENN Publishing to leave the premises within three days. The company said the landlord acted after being pressured by police authorities.
The publisher is challenging the eviction notice, arguing that it violates its lease agreement and threatens to end 16 years of operations at the location.
The incidents follow months of increasing regulatory and security pressure on Addis Standard.
In February 2026, the Ethiopian Media Authority revoked the outlet’s online media registration certificate over alleged violations involving national interests and media laws. The publication rejected the accusations and is challenging the decision in court.
Former Addis Standard Managing Editor Million Beyene was also seized from the newsroom by unidentified men in April 2026. He was held incommunicado for nearly two weeks before being released without charge.
The Committee to Protect Journalists described the latest actions as an alarming escalation in efforts to dismantle one of Ethiopia’s leading independent news organizations.
CPJ called for the immediate return of the confiscated equipment, an end to the proposed eviction and accountability for Kedir’s detention and alleged assault. Committee to Protect Journalists
Human Rights Watch similarly warned that the incidents reflected a worsening environment for independent journalism in Ethiopia. It said restrictions on media organizations had intensified before the country’s elections and continued afterward. Human Rights Watch
JAKENN Publishing has called on Ethiopia’s justice and law-enforcement institutions to disclose the legal basis for the actions, preserve relevant evidence and identify those responsible.
Ethiopian authorities had not publicly responded to the allegations at the time of reporting.
Source: Omanghana
