Ethiopia Shutters News Outlet With Scant Explanation

Ethiopia’s media regulator on Thursday revoked the license of the Addis Standard’s publisher, forcing the monthly magazine and news website to cease operations immediately. #Ethiopia: Detention of Ethio-Forum and @AwloMedia journalists and staff should follow due process; detainees should be released immediately if court order not produced #pressfreedom pic.twitter.com/CIm5pIXVQc

The outlet’s publisher, JAKENN Publishing, said in a statement that the Ethiopian Media Authority did not explain why it temporarily revoked the Addis Ababa media company’s license. The regulator called the Addis Standard around noon Thursday and requested that an employee bring the license to an impromptu meeting, an Ethiopia-based journalist with knowledge of the situation told VOA. The journalist requested anonymity over security concerns. At the meeting, the regulator took back the license but did not provide written documentation about the suspension, the journalist said.