Incident
Ethiopia: Economist correspondent Tom Gardner expelled
Ethiopia's media regulator revoked The Economist correspondent Tom Gardner's press accreditation and gave him 48 hours to leave the country, citing unspecified conduct, almost a year after expelling a New York Times reporter.123
What happened
On May 13, 2022, Ethiopia's Media Authority revoked the press accreditation of Tom Gardner, a correspondent for The Economist who had reported from the country for several years, and ordered him to leave within 48 hours. The authority said Gardner had failed to meet unspecified standards of conduct for journalists; weeks earlier, in March 2022, officials had accused him of posting information on social media that was not properly sourced or supported by government authorities. Gardner's expulsion came almost a year after Ethiopian authorities similarly expelled New York Times correspondent Simon Marks in May 2021, during the country's civil war with forces from the Tigray region. The Economist said Gardner's reporting on Ethiopia had been professional and unbiased.123
Closed; Gardner left the country within the 48-hour deadline.123
What reason was given
Stated justification"failed to live to [the] standards of conduct for journalists"1
What changed for reporting
The expulsion removed one of the few remaining Western correspondents reporting on Ethiopia's civil war from inside the country, following a similar expulsion the year before.2
Timeline
2022
Who acted
| Name | Role in this incident | Office at the time |
|---|---|---|
| Abiy Ahmed | other | Prime Minister of Ethiopia |
| Ethiopian Media Authority | other | Broadcast and media regulator |
Outlets and journalists
| Name | Kind | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| The Economist | outlet | affected |
| The New York Times | outlet | affected |
| Simon Marks | journalist, The New York Times | affected |
| Tom Gardner | journalist, The Economist | affected |
Sources
- Ethiopia expels Economist correspondent Tom Gardner
- Ethiopia expels The Economist correspondent - Africa - World
Claims and evidence
Each numbered claim quotes the source it rests on.
- The regulator's stated reason for revoking accreditation.
failed to live to [the] standards of conduct for journalists
Ethiopia expels Economist correspondent Tom Gardner, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2022-05-16.Claim 536, checked 2026-09-22. - The outlet's response to the expulsion.
Gardner's reporting on Ethiopia has been professional, unbiased and often courageous.
Ethiopia expels Economist correspondent Tom Gardner, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2022-05-16.Claim 537, checked 2026-09-22. - Reference tying Gardner's case to the earlier expulsion of a New York Times reporter.
Gardner's expulsion came almost a year after Ethiopian authorities similarly expelled New York Times reporter Simon Marks
Ethiopia expels Economist correspondent Tom Gardner, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2022-05-16.Claim 638, checked 2026-09-22.