Ethiopia in the corner on Press Freedom Day Mesfin Negash awarded!!! Congratss!!!

May 3. 2013 A.I.M.A (Africa Intelliigence Media Aim)

Mesfin Negash, exiled journalist from Ethiopia, awarded with Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson Reporters Without Borders press freedom price 2013. They get the price because they dared to challenge the limits of press freedom in a country where free journalism branded as terrorism.

On May 3, the United Nations World Day for Press Freedom, parts of speech organization Reporters Without Borders, its annual press freedom prize in honor of people who are fighting for free speech around the world. The price is focusing this year on Ethiopia, a country that systematically silences non regimen faithful voices.

Independent journalism is equated with terrorism
The journalist Mesfin Negash is living in exile in Sweden since his newspaper, Addis Neger, was shut down by the Ethiopian authorities in 2010. Negash was accused, along with her colleagues, for terrorism and risked a long prison sentence. The flight went via Uganda to Sweden, where he received asylum in February 2012. In Sweden, he continues his work as a journalist and he writes for Ethiopian and several foreign newspapers, and participates regularly in the Daily News.

- First and foremost, I see Press Freedom Prize in recognition of my Ethiopian journalist colleagues who either imprisoned or working in difficult conditions. Personally, also awarded an encouragement to continue my work in exile, said Mesfin Negash.

After 14 months in prison, the work on
Mesfin Negash shares the prize with the two Swedish journalists Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson were detained in Ethiopia for 14 months after he broke into the country to report on the oil extraction in the disputed Ogaden test the ice. That they would be released was not self-evident:

- We are honored, above all, it feels great to be physically able to receive the prize. We could stop counting after 438 days, a number of our colleagues in Ethiopia still counting. Colleague Reejot Alemu has today been jailed for 685 days for having done its job, says Martin Schibbye.

- The threats to freedom of the press must be met with more journalism. We need to continue to monitor what is happening in the country remains the world leader when it comes to captivate free speech and to push journalists to flee, says Johan Persson.

Celebrating press freedom
- Reporters Without Borders would like to this day strongly indicate that free journalism and freedom of expression is not something a government can take away from its citizens. Mesfin, Martin and Johan have shown enormous courage and uncompromising as the long term serve a larger goal, says Jonathan Lundqvist, president of Reporters Without Borders.