Reeyot Alemu is an Ethiopian journalist who served a 5-year prison sentence following an unfair trial in which anti-terrorism laws were used to silence her writing.[2] She won the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize in 2013.[3]
Biography
Reeyot Alemu was born in 1980.[4] She was a high school teacher until 2000, when she started working as a columnist for several local newspapers including the independent weekly newspaper Feteh.[2] In 2010, she founded her own publishing house and became the editor in chief of her own monthly magazine called Change, both of which were closed.[4] Her articles covered social and political affairs as well as poverty and gender issues.
In June 2011, she was arrested by Ethiopian authorities on charges of terrorism, for which she was convicted and sentenced to 14 years of imprisonment and a fine of 33,000 birrs (US$1,850).[5]
In August 2012, an appeals court subsequently reduced the 14-year prison sentence to 5 years and dropped most of the terrorism charges against her.[6] She was serving a five-year term at Kaliti Prison.
Reeyot was released on July 9, 2015, after serving four years.[7]
Awards
In 2012, the International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF) bestowed a Courage in Journalism Award on her in absentia for her “refusal to self-censor in a place where that practice is standard, and her unwillingness to apologize for truth-telling, even though contrition could win her freedom.”[5] She has also won Hellman/Hammett press freedom prize.[8]
In May 2013, she was awarded the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize to honor her exceptional courage, resistance and commitment to freedom of expression.[3]
See also
- Andualem Aragie
- Eskinder Nega
- Daniel Bekele
- Arena Tigray
- Bekele Gerba
- Habtamu Ayalew
- Temesgen Desalegn
- List of detained journalists and activists in Ethiopia (2023)
References
- ^ KeEletat Gimash Ken ከእለታት ግማሽ ቀን" [Once upon a half-day]. 27 January 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2023 – via YouTube.
- ^ a b Human Rights Watch. "Learn more about the 2012 awardees - Human Rights Watch".
- ^ a b "Ethiopian journalist Reeyot Alemu wins 2013 UNESCO-Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize". Unesco. 2013-04-16. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
- ^ a b ECADF. "Imprisoned Ethiopian Journalist Win the 2013 UNESCO-World Press Freedom Prize".
- ^ a b International Women's Media Foundation. "Reeyot Alemu | 2012 Courage In Journalism Award". Retrieved 23 December 2013.
- ^ "Columnist's sentence on terrorism charges cut from 14 to 5 years". Reporters Sans Frontiers. August 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
- ^ "Reeyot Alemu is free at last | Addis Standard". addisstandard.com. Retrieved 2015-07-09.
- ^ Human Rights Watch. "Ethiopia: 4 Journalists Win Free Speech Prize". Retrieved 23 December 2013.