Ethiopian security detain Addis Standard editor, raid newsroom, seize equipment

Nairobi, August 6, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Ethiopian authorities to stop their relentless campaign to shutter the Addis Standard, whose editor-in-chief Yonas Kedir was detained and assaulted and its newsroom raided and equipment destroyed, while also receiving an eviction notice in the last week.

“These attacks on the Addis Standard and Yonas Kedir represent an alarming escalation in Ethiopian authorities’ campaign to dismantle one of the country’s leading independent news organizations,” said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Muthoki Mumo. “Authorities must immediately return the outlet’s equipment, halt its forced eviction, end all further harassment, and hold those responsible for Yonas’ detention and assault to account.”

On August 1, Yonas Kedir was seized by security personnel, “physically assaulted, and held for approximately 24 hours while subjected to prolonged interrogation,” the outlet’s publisher, JAKENN Publishing PLC, said in a statement on Thursday.

The following day, heavily armed security and intelligence personnel raided the outlet’s Addis Ababa offices and seized cameras, microphones, and audio and video production equipment “essential to the daily operation of our newsroom and multimedia unit,” it said, adding that lighting systems and equipment in the purpose-built production studio were also deliberately destroyed.

On August 3, the outlet’s landlord issued a notice ordering the publisher to vacate the property, where it has been based for 16 years, within three days, after being “compelled” by police authorities, the statement said. Jakenn said it had initiated legal action to challenge the notice as unlawful and contrary to its lease agreement.

The incidents occurred as JAKENN Publishing has been pursuing a court challenge against the Ethiopian Media Authority’s February 24 decision to revoke the Addis Standard’s online media registration certificate, effectively barred it from operating in Ethiopia.

In April, Addis Standard Managing Editor Million Beyene was seized from the newsroom by unidentified men and held incommunicado for about two weeks. He has since left the publication.

Addis Standard, which was founded in 2011, has faced repeated government pressure, including in 2025 a police raid on its newsroom and an employee’s home and the detention of three managers for several hours. In 2021, authorities withdrew the outlet’s publishing license for several days. In 2020, editor Medihane Ekubamichael was also detained.

CPJ’s emails requesting comment from the Ministry of Justice and Government Communication Service did not immediately receive any responses.