In Ethiopia, the trial ofa controversial pop star is raising questions about the independence of thejudiciary and of the press. The government has arrested a journalist coveringthe court hearings and a defense attorney. Both men are expected to appear incourt today (Wednesday).
Ethiopia?s rising pop and reggae singer TeddyAfro has been in jail since April. He was charged with a hit and run roadaccident and remains in jail after being denied bail. Teddy has pleadednon-guilty, and his attorney argues that prosecutors have not presented enoughevidence to detain his client.
But as of Monday, the defense attorney, as wellas a journalist covering the trial joined the pop singer behind bars.
Mesfin Negash, the editor of a weekly newspaperin the Ethiopian capital could be sentenced to up to six months in prison, iffound guilty of contempt of court. Facing the same charges and also in policecustody is Teddy Afro?s defense attorney Million Assefa, who was quoted in anarticle published by the paper.
The judge overseeing the case said the interviewconstituted interference in the due process of law. He issued a subpoena fortheir arrest.
One of the editors of the newspaper DagninetMekonnen says his paper has done no wrong.
?We have absolute right to publish this material.The content of the interview with Teddy Afro?s lawyer Ato Million Assefa wasthat he (the attorney) wants to sue the judge for not complying with the rightprocedures. We have nothing to do with condemning the due process of law athand.?
New York based Committee to Protect Journalists,the CPJ and Reporters Without Borders criticized the arrest of the journalistin separate statements. CPJ Africa Program research associate Mohamed Keitacalls it a systematic way to detain journalists covering sensitive issues.
?It is rather unfortunate that a journalist bedetained for essentially interviewing the lawyer of Teddy Afro and essentiallydoing his job.?
Journalists who were in court yesterday to reportthe incitement of the attorney and the journalist, said a US Embassyrepresentative was present in the hearing.
Teddy Afro?s high-profile trial has grabbed theattention of many of his fans. Thousands of his followers rally in front of thecourthouse whenever he appears in court. Within minutes, the police reportedlybreak up their demonstrations.
Government-controlled radio stations in Ethiopiahave banned songs from Teddy Afro?s third album ?yasteseryal?. ?yasteseryal?makes an implicit mockery of what it sees as failure of political movements inthe country since a socialist military junta overthrew Emperor Haile Selassiein 1974.