By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

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Ethiopian authorities have detained at least 19 journalists over the last week in what activists said was a "shocking and unprecedented" new crackdown on the press and independent media organisations.

The latest wave of arrests began on May 19 when authorities detained at least 11 journalists and media workers in Amhara region and in the capital Addis Ababa.

Among those arrested was Temesgen Desalegn, a prominent journalist and editor-in-chief of the Amharic-language Fitih magazine.

He was picked up by plainclothes security forces from his office on Thursday last week, his colleague Misgan Zinabu told AFP.

"Initially, they took Temesgen to a local police station. Later on security forces moved him to a secret location," the editor said, adding that his current whereabouts were unknown.

Temesgen's house raided

Police also raided Temesgen's house on Thursday and seized magazines, a phone, disk drives and a camera, he added.

Another journalist and YouTuber, Yayesew Shimelis, was arrested at home in Addis Ababa on Thursday, his former colleague Bekalu Alamirew, a former TV host, told AFP.

One day later, Bekalu himself was also taken into custody by security agents.

Yayesew was accused by police of incitement to violence through his journalistic work.

The two media outlets run by Temesgen and Yayesew are known for their critical journalism against the Ethiopian government.

Another journalist and TV host, Solomon Shumye, was also detained in Addis Ababa last week. He is accused of inciting violence.

"Temesgen Desalegn and Yayesew Shimelis suffered immensely during previous unjust detentions, and it is devastating that they now find themselves behind bars again," said Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) sub-Saharan Africa representative Muthoki Mumo.

"Ethiopia is cementing its position as one of the region's worst jailers of journalists. Authorities should immediately release all journalists behind bars for their work," she added.

Unconditional release

CPJ called for the unconditional release of Ethiopian journalists and condemned the authorities' continued use of arrests to target members of the press.

The latest crackdown has sparked international concern, with the US State Department expressing alarm over "the narrowing space for freedom of expression and independent media in Ethiopia".

Daniel Bekele, the chief commissioner of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC), a state-affiliated independent rights body, also urged the government to release the detained journalists.

"The arrest of media personnel is particularly alarming and its repercussions extend beyond media space and freedom of expression," Mr Bekele said in a statement.

A media activist told Nation.Africa that the latest crackdown was "unprecedented" and "shocking".

"Such mass arrests and a new tactic of abduction-style arrests [of] journalists is unprecedented," said the activist, who did not want to be named.

By "abduction" the activist was referring to Gobeze Sisay, an Ethiopian journalist who was held incommunicado for over a week after he was taken from his residence by plainclothes police officers on May 1.

The journalist did not appear in court.

Under Prime Minister Ahmed Abiy's administration, several journalists are being forced into exile due to threats, intimidation and lengthy detentions after arrest.

‘Law enforcement operation’

The crackdown on journalists, activists and other critics came a few days after PM Abiy on May 20 stressed the need for a "law enforcement operation" in what he said was to "protect citizens and ensure the survival of the nation".

As part of a broader crackdown, last Monday, security officials in the Amhara region announced the arrests of more than 4,500 people.

The arrests were made "to uphold law and order, deal with criminal activities and get rid of outside enemies", said Desalegn Tassew, head of peace and security in the region.