The Ethiopian Government Has Sought To Influence Several Countries To Extradite Or Deport Journalists And Critics Living Abroad
The Ethiopian government has sought to influence several countries to extradite or deport journalists and critics living abroad
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — The Ethiopian government has been accused of intensifying a campaign of “transnational repression,” a strategy that involves pursuing and attempting to silence journalists and critics who have fled the country. These efforts are not isolated incidents but rather part of a broader crackdown on media freedom that has significantly deteriorated the human rights landscape in Ethiopia.
A recent report by MESERET MEDIA highlights the government’s attempts to influence foreign countries to extradite or deport exiled critics. The report, corroborated by Ethiopia Observer, cites a specific incident involving two journalists, Yayesew Shimeles and Abebe Bayu, who run the popular Youtube news site Ethio Forum from France.
An Ethiopian delegation allegedly requested that French President Emmanuel Macron hand over the journalists or force them to cease their activities, accusing them of conspiring against the government. The request was reportedly denied, but it reveals the government’s growing reach. Similar requests made to Uganda for the extradition of other critical journalists were also unsuccessful.
This is not a new tactic. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Human Rights Watch have long documented that Ethiopia has one of the highest numbers of exiled journalists in the world, a situation that has worsened in recent years. A U.S. State Department report from 2024, as cited by Martin Plaut, documents numerous cases of government-led intimidation, harassment, and arbitrary arrests of journalists.
The report details extrajudicial killings, torture, and enforced disappearances of prominent figures critical of the government, including journalists and activists. This has created a climate of fear that has led to widespread self-censorship among media professionals still operating within the country.
Legal measures have also been used to further constrict media freedom. A Human Rights Watch article from July 2025 details how the government has amended laws to increase its control over media regulatory bodies, empowering officials to suspend or revoke licenses. This, combined with the use of anti-terrorism laws to charge journalists, has made independent reporting a perilous profession.
The CPJ has noted a disturbing trend of detaining journalists even after courts have granted them bail, demonstrating a blatant disregard for judicial processes. With at least 54 journalists having gone into exile since 2020, the pursuit of these individuals abroad shows a government unwilling to tolerate dissent, even from a distance. The campaign of “transnational repression” is an extension of this domestic crackdown, designed to ensure that the government’s narrative remains the only one heard, both at home and among the diaspora.
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