Day 22
Ethiopia
Ethiopia is one of the world’s most-censored countries. The conflict between the federal government and the rebel forces led by the Tigray Peoples’ Liberation Front has prompted a media crackdown. A 21-month-old civil war in the country is accelerating the deterioration of press freedom. Ethiopia now ranks with Eritrea as sub-Saharan Africa’s worst jailer of journalists. The fight to control the narrative of the war is one of the major reasons for the increasing hostility against the press. The crackdown on the press is also happening within the context of human rights violations from all sides of this war. Pray that deteriorating conditions for Ethiopia’s journalists, that the crackdown will change and, the climate for press freedom to improve. Pray for the leaders and people to find freedom in Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit (The Bible, John 8:36).
Source:
https://cpj.org/2022/08/journalists-face-growing-hostility-as-ethiopias-civil-war-persists/
Ethiopia is listed in the 36th position in the World Watch report 2021 by Open Doors for Christian persecution The current president of Ethiopia is Sahle-Work Zewde and the Prime Minister is Abiy Ahmed. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s Prosperity Party won the most seats in Ethiopia’s parliamentary election, a victory that assures him another term in office. It was the country’s first free and fair election after decades of repressive rule. However, an opposition boycott, the war in the northern region of Tigray, ethnic violence, and logistical challenges in some areas overshadowed the election.
