Ethiopian authorities have apprehended a French journalist on claims of “conspiracy to create chaos”, according to his employer on Monday.
Antoine Galindo, the french reporter was arrested last Thursday while on an assignment in the capital city, Addis Ababa, the Africa Intelligence publication had revealed in a statement. It also said a judge on Saturday prolonged Galindo’s detention until March 1.
Meanwhile, spokespeople for Ethiopia’s government and police had not immediately responded to requests for comment. The French embassy in Addis Ababa equally did not respond to a request for comment.
Africa Intelligence had said Galindo “has been suspected and is being accused of ‘conspiracy to create chaos in Ethiopia’ and was brought before a judge on 24th February.” The publication had added that its lawyer attended the hearing and was told about the charges.
Human rights activists have continuously criticised Ethiopia’s restrictions on press freedom, especially in response to critical coverage of conflicts and security crises.
The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists says that about eight Ethiopian journalists have been detained since August.
Foreign reporters have also been expelled from Ethiopia or haf their accreditations to work rejected in recent years, but the last to be arrested were two Swedish journalists in 2011.
They were sentenced to 11 years in prison for aiding and promoting a rebel group and entering the country illegally before being forgiven and released the following year.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed freed dozens of jailed members of the media when he came to power in 2018 as part of a raft of political reforms.
But critics say his government has clamped down hard on dissent as civil conflicts, including a 2020-2022 war in the northern Tigray region, broken out.
