The Ethiopian justice released this Friday on bail an independent Ethiopian journalist, who worked among other media for the Associated Press (AP) and had been detained for four months without charge, the US agency reported.
Amir Aman Kiyaro, 30, was arrested in Addis Ababa at the end of November when Ethiopia was in a state of emergency due to the conflict between the government and rebels in the Tigray region.
Ethiopia’s Supreme Court upheld the ruling ordering his release on bail, according to AP. Bail is set at about $1,170, according to the reporter’s attorney.
“We are relieved that journalist Amir Aman Kiyaro has been released on bail and has been reunited with his family,” AP Director Julie Pace said in a statement sent to AFP.
“At the same time, we are dismayed that he is still under investigation. We strongly urge the Ethiopian authorities to drop their baseless accusations against Amir, a freelance journalist who is being persecuted for his work,” it added.
The state of national emergency, declared in November 2021 by the government, placed harsh restrictions on the work of journalists in Ethiopia.
The police accuse Amir Aman Kiyaro of having violated the laws of the state of emergency, a crime that can be punished with 15 years in prison.
