Country
Ethiopia
Government actions against journalists in Ethiopia
RSF 2026 rank: 148th of 180. World Press Freedom Index of Reporters Without Borders (RSF); rank 1 is the freest.
The number of entries reflects the depth of this record, not the severity of a country's conduct.
Ethiopia is in Eastern Africa, Africa. The record holds 3 incidents in which the government of Ethiopia, or an official, court or legislature there, limited journalists' ability to report.
Tactics used
- Detention and violence: 1 incident · ladder
- Expulsion and visa denial: 1 incident · ladder
- Licensing and closure of outlets: 1 incident · ladder
- Shutdowns and blocking: 1 incident · ladder
Heads of government at the time
Incidents by year
2025
| Date | Incident | Tactic | Stage | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 September 2025 | Ethiopia arrests at least six journalists including Sheger FM staff over election-year coverage | Detention and violence | Punish | Abiy Ahmed | Ongoing (22 September 2025) |
2022
| Date | Incident | Tactic | Stage | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 May 2022 | Ethiopia: Economist correspondent Tom Gardner expelled | Expulsion and visa denial | Punish | Abiy Ahmed | Sustained (13 May 2022) |
2020
| Date | Incident | Tactic | Stage | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 2020 | Ethiopia: internet and phone service cut across Tigray | Shutdowns and blocking | Silence | Abiy Ahmed | Ongoing (3 May 2021) |
Ladders: where each tactic has led · Timeline for Ethiopia · Africa