Connect with us

International

Ethiopia expels BBC, VOA, 13 others over operating permit

Published

on

The Ethiopian authorities have expelled 15 media outfits including the BBC and the Voice of America’s (VOA) from its Somali region for operating without the necessary permits.

The authorities took the decision to expel the media organisations following a letter of complaints written by the Ethiopian Media Authority (EMA) to the regional officials, alleging that the international media organisation representatives based in the region are working without the required accreditations.

READ ALSO: 10 killed as Ethiopian airstrikes hit Tigray capital, Mekelle

But the head of the region’s journalists’ association, Abdulrazak Hassan, rejected the claim by the authorities and told a local media outlet on Tuesday that the real reasons for the expulsion were reports by the journalists exposing corruption and impacts of severe drought in Ethiopia’s easternmost region.

Hassan added that the association had requested for the renewal of their licenses but were denied without concrete reasons.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now