Susan Rise lough at Woyane 100% win summed up, her puppies are funny but, they are ‘our puppies’

If Ethiopians want to be free from tyranny; as the legendary Ethiopian Human Right advocate Obang Metho of the Solidarity Movement for New Ethiopia (SMNE) said ‘, we are on our own – no one is going to free us but ourselves’ Thus, we have been our own worst enemy to recognize — the problem of coming together for our freedom is within; so the solution. But, we first have to sort out the good, the bad and the ugly of those that disfranchise us posed as Ethiopian institutions from fighting back for our freedom. We already wasted too much time in search of solution from outside and can no longer afford to waste more time to clean up within. Those that divided us not only in the name of ethnicity but, unity turn out to be our worst enemies. The question is what are we going to do about it?

by Teshome Debalke

Susan Rice laughing her hearts out on Woyane’s 100% Election win speaks volumes what the Obama Administration had in mind way before the President came to power. Susan Rise, the mastermind of US policy on Africa since she came in the picture during the Clinton Administration told us Woyane is a lapdog in many ways than one. She said more about what her boss summarized on his speech in Kenya and African Union and Press Conference in Addis Ababa. In contradiction what he said about tribalism — tearing nations apart in Kenya that doesn’t institutionalized it kept silent in a country of Ethiopia where the regime institutionalized ethnic Apartheid that practiced it at village level.

It was mind-numbing to watch the hoax the President Obama’s Senior Security Adviser and the stanch Woyane apologist pulled her stunt on Ethiopians. A champion of TPLF under her late friend Melse Zenawi she admire as the most intelligent man, she summed up her pet project when she bursting in laughter on Woyane’s 100% election win in front of the White House press core briefing on the President trip to Kenya and Ethiopia. She couldn’t hold on her true feeing on the regime –the subject of her pet project.

In reality, the President doesn’t have full grasps of what he was saying and doing. His facts are skewed by his main Adviser Susan Rise in the State Department and the well positioned TPLF’s operatives Susan entertain to accomplish her project. For that, you have to give her credit on her successful mission of her pet project of TPLF – from inception up to the state power.

Every Ethiopian must see the historic video to believe the most insulting laugher on Woyane she defended tooth-and-nail throughout her official capacity — knowing the mercenary regime she helped in her entire political career is her ‘baby’ — killing so many of our people all these years to get it where she wanted it. As the saying goes “you break it you own it’ and, her whole life depends on the successes of her ‘baby’.

Therefore, her unexpected burst of laughter at her pet project Woyane came after she could no longer control her true feelings about the regime’s absurdity of 100% win — when a reporter ask her how could it be democratic election as her partner in crime Wendy Sherman declared it way before it happened.

Her arrogance and indifference to our people’s suffering on her pet project (Woyane) aside, after she composed herself back to her official talking point, she pointed out to the Administration’s official statement for the gathering journalists and said ‘we have some concern in the electoral irregularities process” – reveling her private knowledge of the real Woyane and her official talking point of her Woyane to the world.

Basically, she told the world, the regime in Ethiopia is my pet project I occasionally restrain not to abuse and kill lots of people. Otherwise, she underlined; the regime is our puddle to keep it around for a while and occasionally talk to it to take it easy on abusing and killing the people excessively to embarrass us.

That was exactly what the President was uttering on his Press Conference and every opportunity he got often contradicting himself from his previous statement—depending where and when he said it.

The real tragedy is; as far as Obama Precedency is concerned — the first African American President of the United State that benefited from the Civil Right Movement to make it possible for him to vote; not to mention to hold the highest position of power in the America is depriving the civil rights of Africans by siding with regimes that inflict pain and suffering. Instead, he tells Africans they need food and investment and civil right can wait until the economy grows with his help. It is equivalent of saying; Jim Crow Laws could wait until the economy grows to allow African Americans out of poverty to vote. It is as if he spit on the face of the Civil Right Movements’ leaders that got him where he is.

Quite honestly, no US President insulted the intelligence of Africans more than the African American President Obama — as ignorant of not knowing our democratic rights and economic development. He went further by playing along with staged drama of the TPLF led regime to convince us our future is brighter with an ethnic Apartheid regime.

It is indeed a tragedy how low expectation the President had on the people of Africa with unprecedented arrogance to the level of the 20th century colonialists –what a legacy to leave behind.

For the record; what the President referred as ‘facts’ about the Apartheid regime of Ethiopia are entirely fictions. It is almost impossible to believe, a person of his caliber and position of power he holds to reduce himself to the level of a typical corrupt and atrocious African dictator.

The democratically elected regime fiction can be summed up on President Obama’s speech on black voters’ suppression technics of the Republican Party last year at Al Sharpton’s National Action Network conference;
“What kind of political platform is that? Why would you make that a part of your agenda, preventing people from voting?”

But yet, the President that pride as a Constitutional scholar declared the regime ruling Ethiopia that controls the entire Media in the nation, the three branches of governments, the security force, the Election Board and that won by 100% is ‘a constitutionally elected democratic government’

On the security
Obama in 2011

“Societies held together by fear and repression may offer the illusion of stability for a time, but they are built upon fault lines that will eventually tear asunder,”

“[S]trategies of repression and strategies of diversion will not work anymore. . . . The status quo is not sustainable.”
But yet, the President in Addis Ababa said; Ethiopia is stable under a repressive minority ‘that offers stability and declared he will help sustain the ‘status qua’.

On Economic development;

Addressing the African Union in Addis Ababa, he said;

“If someone in public office is taking a cut they don’t deserve, that’s taking away from the people who are paying their fair share… It is important that not only low level corruption is punished but folks at the top if they are taking from the people.”

But yet, the President was praising the most corrupt regime that owns the economy by institutionalizing corruption. The ruling TPLF is not only corrupt in a traditional sense of the word that described dictators that embezzled public money but institutionalize corruption by owning the economy. For that the President praised the ruling regime for growing the economy by the double digits.

Frankly, whoever advise him on African policy issue must be his worst enemy to misguide him from a humble beginning of doing the right thing in his first term to sounding like a typical African dictator at the end of his Presidency.

Something doesn’t make sense and requires an in-depth investigation in what went wrong. Unfortunately, Western journalist accompanying the President sounded more like tourists on a safari trip than journalist taken for a ride by the ruling party staged illusion. Not once Western journalist inquired the extent the ruling party control the economy, the Media, the security apparatus and the internet, not to mention the hotels they staying, the transport and the bank service they are using to convert their hard currency.

It is the greatest illusion the ruling party pulled on the supposedly sophisticated Western journalists ever.

At the meantime, the ruling party apologists don’t seem to have any pride left not to feel ashamed when mocked as ignorant by the President and the same women (Susan Rise) that laughed at them telling them they are stupid to believe 100% win of the ruling party makes it democratically elected. The symbolic Prime Minster excitement when insulted in front of the world –agreeing to improve his regime’s behavior with the help of the same Administration that insults him is historic.

Though the regime apologists are beginning to accept they are not that dumb to say the regime is democratically elected regime by 100%. They are happy with the economy growing by double digit narrative from the same people that mock them as ignorant jackass as Susan Rise did on the election. As tragic as it is; grownups to believe — chronic corruption is a good thing when told by foreigners than another insult on their stupidity, there is no explanation short of they are repeating the saga of Fascist Italy Bandas’ culture practice it in great detail.

It reminded me Alfredo González-Ruibal’s book ‘Fascist colonialism: the archaeology of Italian outposts in western Ethiopia (1936-1941) revelation and the similarity of the nature of Bandas then and progressive Banda-ism’s narratives of the present. Here is a fascinating excerpt from the book;

“Besides, Italian fascism—as it is often the case with totalitarian ideologies—emphasized youth, progress and permanent renovation as paramount values. In line with this thought, a huge effort of modernization was carried out and Ethiopia was endowed with infrastructures, including some 3,500 km of roads. People, however, tend to forget that these infrastructures were built not out of a philanthropic impulse, but in order to control the country and facilitate its economic exploitation. Fascism not only constructed a powerful image of a progressive colonialism, but, as other contemporary colonialisms, it emphasized the humane side of the whole enterprise (Lauro, 1940).”
It goes on;

“The landscape of Benishangul-Gumuz is undulating and covered by a thick savannah and bamboo woodland. The local inhabitants are mostly swidden-cultivators belonging to the Nilo-Saharan family: the Bertha to the south of the Nile and the Gumuz to the north. During the Italian occupation, the north was comprised in the Amhara Region, and the south in the Galla and Sidama Region—the Italians dismantled the old administrative divisions in Ethiopia and created others based on ethnicity.”

“Bhabha (1994, pp. 100-101) notes that colonial discourse had as a predominant strategic function “the creation of a space for ‘subject peoples’ through the production of knowledges in terms of which surveillance is exercised”. This space of subjection was much more physical than Bhabha’s text allows us to think. Although Italian efforts to enforce a strict racial divide were never totally accomplished (Sbacchi, 1985, pp. 167-168), attempts at segregation were obvious in the cities enlarged and refurbished by the Italians (cf. Schiassi, 1942), but also in settler farms, military bases and the smallest outposts.”

“By occupying the forts (the only substantial buildings in the whole region) and giving them new use, the Italians were presenting themselves as fighters against slavery and, at the same time, they were linking themselves to generations of alien rulers. As in Gubba, their rule was embodied in the historicity of the landscape and thus naturalized. The physical occupation of meaningful places was fundamental for the production of a colonial order based on the constant reworking of similarities and differences. The same appropriations occur elsewhere: in Asosa, the Italian buildings were erected beside the palace of Sheikh Khojele, paramount chief of Benishangul and slave trader (Abdussamad Ahmad, 1999, pp. 437-438). In Gondar, the capital of Ethiopia in the 17and 18 the centuries, the Italians designed a monumental and rationalist piazza which was connected by a landscaped avenue to the castles of the Abyssinian kings”

It is fascinating how TPLF apologists imitating fascism in great detail get excited when reinforced by strangers but, constipating not to tell the truth– their role is as bad if not worse than Fascist Askaris.

Fig. 14. Askaris belonging to the 4° Gruppo Bande di Frontiera, somewhere near Asosa. Most of them go barefoot and many have necklaces with Christian crosses over the uniform, probably because they are in a predominantly Muslim area (after Zorzetto 2003, p. 168)

As TPLF’s modern Fascism on Ethiopia in a cover of Ethnic Federalism and growth and transformation is becoming clearer; why its apologists are constipating to tell us the truth but, the whole truth and accept their role as modern Askaris in words and deeds is puzzling Ethiopians what to make of it.

Haile Selassie Gugsa (center) the symbol of Askaris of Italy accompanied by the occupying Fascists officers

We will explore in great detail the mind and soul of Modern Askaris (the Gugsa generation) and how they emerged to rule Ethiopia in the next article. Until then, all Ethiopians should be mindful of; anything and everything associated with TPLF is not kosher enough to touch it as the apologist confirmed by hiding their association with the regime in public.

But, since growth and development told by foreigners is the last hope of ‘modern Askaris’ to hang around, we should expect lots of confusions and noises on fake Medias. Special attention must be given to those drumming up empty Ethiopiawinet in public and doing Modern Askaris’ work in private.

As President Obama accompanied by Susan Rise visit Ethiopia surrounded by modern Askaris posed as Ethiopian, pay special attention with TPLF agents from Diaspora accompanying the Presidents’ entourage. Some come as investors and businessman to drum up growth and development to fatten their pocket. Others come as employee of the US government or Congressional Aid, and, the rest as leaders of civic society or Medias etc. But, all have one common goal of painting rosy picture–the TPLF led regime is the best thing since Fascist Mussolini led regime of Ethiopia — growing the economy by double digits and building infrastructure to help the people out of slavery and poverty. Modern Askaris are in civilizing mission of Ethiopians like the Fascist occupiers use to say.

Surprisingly, Ethiopians are shocked when President Obama was spiting the same narrative in Addis Ababa; thanks to Susan Rise and her TPLF handlers in Diaspora.

Ethiopians in Diaspora can do lots to help the struggle by exposing the Administration and TPLF agents in Diaspora agenda. More will be said soon on this subject to identify and expose them one-by-one.

At the meantime, the work of clandestine individuals posed as Media to disfranchise Ethiopians not to come together is underway. As expected, organizations that brought Ethiopians together are the main targets. Among them are the Ethiopian Satellite Television-Radio (ESAT) and Patriotic – Ginot 7 are the latest target.

Some have legitimate concerns to inquire for transparency. Others do it strictly on individual ambition– competing for lamlight and glory on the expenses of our unfortunate people’s expenses. And, of course, there are TPLF agents that make sure war of division and fear is sustained to preserve the regime. But, all have one common trend – undermine organization they deem a treat for their ambition. They should all be exposed and accountable.

Organizations masquerading as oppositions that lack transparency shouldn’t be considered legitimate and credible organizations.

The million dollar question is; how could Ethiopians sort out the good, the bad and the ugly of those opposing TPLF tyranny but, at the same time undermine organizations that bring Ethiopians together?

If we notice lately, undermining ESAT and Patriotic – Ginbot 7 in public comes by a handful individuals posed as journalist – Media. No formal organization publicly and officially accused the two legal organizations.

The question remained; why formal organizations (political or civic) failed to put out their official stand one way or another to get to the bottom of the truth to expose vampires and TPLF agents from taking advantage of the confusion and the divide of Ethiopians?

In other words; why are formal political and civic organizations silent from such important issue of transparency?
For example; among the most visible ‘organizations’ we hear on the ‘Media’ from the respective representatives with alternative approach for united struggle; The Ethiopian National Transition Council (ENTC) is led by Ato Sileshi Tilahun according to Media report but not available on its official website and Shengo / የኢትዮጵያ ሕዝብ የጋራ ትግል ሸንጎ (ሸንጎ) led by Dr. Taye Zegye, according to media report but not available on its official website. And, according to the letter to President Obama posted on Shengo’s official website, Dr. Aklog Birara is Chairman, Diplomatic and Foreign Relations Committee of Shengo and on a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Kerry, Professor Achamyeleh Debela is ‘Chair, Law and Justice, Ethiopian People’s Congress for United Struggle (Shengo)’.

I. Ethiopian National Transition Council

According to its official website;

“The Ethiopian National Transitional Council (ENTC) is a recently established grassroots advocacy movement based in the Ethiopian Diaspora with the aim of campaigning to establish democracy in Ethiopia. ENTC was officially formed with a founding conference in Dallas TX July 1-3. For about 6 months prior to the formation, ENTC has managed to form more than 30 city chapters. Chapter representatives from all over the world have participated to form this council”

II. Shengo / የኢትዮጵያ ሕዝብ የጋራ ትግል ሸንጎ (ሸንጎ) consisting of 6 organizations as follows

• The Ethiopian People Revolutionary Party (EPRP) http://www.eprp-ihapa.com/ no Chairman is listed on its official website.
• Ethiopian Medhin Democratic Party (MEDHIN). http://www.medhin.org/ led by Prof. Seyoum Gelaye is listed as Chairman on its official website
• All Ethiopia Socialist Democratic Movement (MEDHIN) http://meison.info/ no chairman is listed on official website
• TAND http://www.tand-tesfana.webs.com/ No website no chairman listed
• Solidarity Committee for Ethiopian Political Prisoners – Canada (SOCEPP-CAN http://www.humanrightsethiopia.com/ No chairman listed on its official website
• Tatek Ethiopia http://www.tatekethiopia.com/ no functioning website and no chairman listed

Obama Disgusts Human Rights Advocates by Calling Ethiopian Government “Democratically Elected”

AllGov) President Barack Obama turned more than a few heads in the human rights community on Monday when he called the government of Ethiopia “democratically elected” during his visit to Africa’s second largest country.

Not a single opposition party member currently holds a seat in Ethiopia’s parliament, and human rights groups denounced the elections in May as a sham. Prior to those elections, the government made it difficult for opposition candidates to register, raise money and mobilize supporters, according to The New York Times.

“Peaceful protesters were denied permits, harassed and in some cases arrested. News organizations were shut down and reporters harassed, threatened or arrested,” the Times’ Peter Baker and Jacey Fortin reported. Additionally, Obama’s own State Department reported that U.S. diplomats were prevented from observing the elections, saying it was “troubled” that opposition party observers were kept out of some locations.

And Obama’s national security advisor, Susan E. Rice, told reporters only last week that the result of the election was not credible. “The prime minister of Ethiopia was just elected with 100 percent of the vote, which I think suggests, as we have stated in our public statements, some concern for the integrity of the electoral process,” she said.

Human rights advocates were surprised, to say the least, by Obama’s assessment of the government in Addis Ababa. “The recent election in Ethiopia was anything but a democratic one,” Sarah Margon, the Washington director of Human Rights Watch, told the Times. “There may not have been widespread violence or blatant ballot box stuffing on election day,” Margon said, but “the systematic repression of basic rights” made it “extremely unlikely that Ethiopians would feel safe enough to express themselves, particularly if that expression included criticism of the government.”

Obama, who is the first sitting American president to visit Ethiopia, said at a joint news conference with Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn: “We are very mindful of Ethiopia’s history, the hardships that this country has gone through.”

“It has been relatively recently in which the Constitution that was formed, and elections put forward a democratically elected government.” Obama added that “there is still more work to do, and I think the prime minister is the first to acknowledge that there is more work to do.”

438 Days Imprisoned in Ethiopia

Journalist Recounts Facing Arrest, Mock Execution and Terror Charges

(Democracy Now) While President Obama visited Ethiopia on Monday, he made a passing reference to press freedom, calling on the Ethiopian government to “open additional space for journalists, for media, for opposition voices.”

The Committee to Protect Journalists has described Ethiopia as one of the leading jailers of journalists on the continent. At least 11 journalists and bloggers are currently in prison. Six others were released just before Obama’s visit. We look at the remarkable story of two Swedish journalists who traveled to Ethiopia in 2011 to report on the actions of the Swedish oil company Lundin Oil in the Ogaden region, where there has been a fight for independence since the 1970s. Five days after crossing the border from Somalia to Ethiopia, the journalists Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson were shot and captured by the Ethiopian army. “We were both shot during the arrest. We were kept in the desert,” Schibbye said. “They brought in some Steven Spielberg figure, who turned out to be the vice president of the region, who made a mockumentary about what happened when we were arrested. They brought in fake rebels, who they gave guns, and it was a total surreal episode where we, under gunpoint, had to participate in the movie that was supposed to be shown on Ethiopian state television and also used in court to sentence us for support of terrorism.” Schibbye and Persson ended up spending over a year in prison, which they chronicle in their book, “438 Days: How Our Quest to Expose the Dirty Oil Business in the Horn of Africa Got Us Tortured, Sentenced as Terrorists and Put Away in Ethiopia’s Most Infamous Prison.”

Newly-freed Ethiopian Journalist Vows to Continue Work

Reeyot Alemu, an Ethiopian journalist who was unexpectedly released from prison last week after being convicted on terrorism charges, vows to continue her work as a reporter.

“I am sure I will continue my writings because it’s my job, and also its my passion to write,” she said. “And also I want to serve my country. I want to make Ethiopia a democratic country, it is my responsibility as a citizen and as a journalist also.”

Reeyot had spent four years and 17 days in prison after a conviction many believe was a result of her articles which criticized the Ethiopian government.

She believes that her writings may lead to future imprisonment, as she does not believe this government allows anyone to live safely in Ethiopia while opposing those in power.

In 2011, Reeyot was arrested and then sentenced to 14 years in prison, which was reduced to five years after appeal. Her release last week came one day after five other imprisoned journalists and bloggers were released unannounced.

During most of her imprisonment, Reeyot shared one room with four other prisoners. The most difficult part, she says, was not not being able to receive visitors while dealing with a breast tumor.

“They denied my rights to be visited by my friends, my legal advisors. Even with my sister, they allow her these two months,” she lamented. “Before that for one year and eight months, even I did not see my sister. Only my parents, my mother and my father.”

Her father is also her lawyer, but during visitations they were not allowed to discuss legal matters.

While in prison, she says there were many offers for early release under the condition that she would agree to sign a letter admitting her wrongdoings or falsely accusing others. Reeyot refused and as a result, was ordered to spend another 11 months in prison.

These days Reeyot’s house is filled friends, family and other visitors welcoming her back. Next week she will go for a medical check up to continue treatment for her breast tumor.

Reeyot also plans on doing what she missed very much – reading books on political issues.

“I want to read how this country is, about the world,” she explained. “Because these four years I did not know, I did not get many information.”

Many international organizations continuously pressured the Ethiopian government to release the imprisoned journalists. The country has been frequently criticized by human rights organizations for repressing dissident voices.

The Committee to Protect Journalists says Ethiopia is Africa’s second worst journalist jailer with 11 other journalists and bloggers still imprisoned.

On social media, some people commented that the decision to release the journalists is linked to the visit of U.S. President Barack Obama to Ethiopia later this month.

What You Need to Know About Ethiopia v. Zone9 Bloggers: Verdict Expected July 20 - See more at: http://www.zehabesha.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-ethiopia-v-zone9-bloggers-verdict-expected-july-20/#sthash.Q7yuqa8X.dpuf

Police lead Natnael Feleke (center right) and fellow blogger Atnaf Berahane (center left) to court. Photo courtesy of Trial Tracker Blog.

Since they were first arrested and jailed on April 25, 2014, Ethiopia’s Zone9 bloggers have seen many twists and turns in their case. All told, they have appeared before the court 30 times in 15 months, and been adjourned each time. But with the release of five of the detainees last week, the case now has reached at a critical juncture.

Five Ethiopian writers (four in prison and one in absentia) are still on trial for terror-related crimes that the Ethiopian government claims were committed beginning in May 2012. On July 20, the Ethiopian High Court is expected to issue a verdict on the case.

Endalk Chala, a founding member of the Zone9 blogging collective and Global Voices contributor, answers six key questions on the minds of their supporters around the world.

What exactly have the writers been charged with?

Prosecutors say that the writers have engaged themselves in undercover enterprise with the intent to overthrow, modify or suspend the Ethiopian Federal State Constitution by violence, threats or conspiracy. Prosecutors have since further accused the writers of encrypting their communications and disseminating seditious writings with the intention of causing public strife or to overthrow, modify or suspend the Ethiopian Federal Constitutional State by violence, threats, or conspiracy. While the first charge asserts that the writers violated the country’s contentious anti-terrorism law, the latter is a violation of criminal code of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Both charges are severe in terms penalties, though media coverage of the case has primarily focused on the terrorism charge.

Weren’t the writers released last week?

There are ten individuals charged, out of which only five individuals are released suddenly last week. The manner in which the writers were released is so mysterious that even their defense attorney heard the news of the release of his clients via radio. Critics say that the government is trying to save face by releasing a few individuals ahead of President Obama’s imminent visit to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

What exactly is a “bench” trial?

In Ethiopia’s legal system there is only a ‘bench’ trial, in which a judge or panel of judges, not a jury, determines if someone is guilty or innocent. Accordingly, the cases of Zone9 Bloggers have been overseen by a middle judge called Shelemew Bekele who chairs the panel of three judges. However, the Zone9 bloggers have repeatedly pointed out that the judge presiding over the case has changed at least four times since proceedings against them first began. After the bloggers protested his partiality to the prosecutors, Judge Shelemew promised to walk out from the case but he still is presiding the case.

What will be the fate of the bloggers?

Since five of the writers who are accused of similar of crimes were released, there is a hope that the Ethiopian court will exonerate the remaining five bloggers. In brief statements, the released writers said they are perplexed why their colleagues are left in prison but they are optimistic that their friends will soon join them in the free world.

What if the bloggers are found guilty?

For terrorism and incitement offenses, the mandatory sentence in Ethiopia is a minimum of eight years in prison. However, in the absence of any evidence to support the allegation, I hope the court will recognize that the bloggers are being tried solely for their work in relation with their human rights activism, including their articles critical of Ethiopian government policies, and will exonerate them.

What does this tell us about Ethiopia’s judicial system?

The case of Zone9Bloggers is unfortunately no anomaly in Ethiopia’s highly compromised judiciary system. It is the tip of an iceberg in which political corruption thrives and the judicial system is run by an elite and powerful minority.

Endalk Chala is a founding member of the Zone9 blogging collective who is currently pursuing at PhD at the University of Oregon in the US.

- See more at: http://www.zehabesha.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-ethiopia-v-zone9-bloggers-verdict-expected-july-20/#sthash.Q7yuqa8X.dpuf

Ethiopian Arrests for Internet Security Training Undermine Right to Privacy

The simple act of taking steps to protect oneself online is enough to send a journalist to jail, according to charges issued by Ethiopian prosecutors in several cases to be heard this week. An Ethiopian court will soon hand down verdicts in a number of cases where criminal charges could be assessed for attending or applying to attend Internet security training.

Five of the Zone 9 bloggers (four of whom are in prison and one who is being tried in absentia) will face a long-awaited verdict in the case on July 29 after the court adjourned a planned hearing on July 20. Seven of the bloggers were arrested under criminal and anti-terrorism charges for acts that include participating in online security training sessions where they learned how to use encryption technologies such as Tactical Tech and Front Line Defenders’ Security in a Box guide. As evidence for their alleged crimes, prosecutors submitted widely available documents including Security in a Box: Tools & Tactics in Digital Security as well as guides on secure passphrases and message encryption to make their case against the bloggers much like EFF’s own Surveillance Self-Defense.

If convicted, the mandatory sentence in Ethiopia for terrorism and incitement offenses is a minimum of eight years—however hope remains that the court will exonerate the bloggers in the absence of substantive evidence to support the charges, according to Zone 9 founding member Endalk Chala. Already five of the bloggers were released last week, which some have attributed to anticipation of a visit by President Barack Obama at the end of the month.

In another group of cases, Yonatan Wolde, Abraham Solomon, Bahiru Dego, and Zelalem Workagenhu are facing charges for applying to attend an Internet security and social media training session abroad. All four were detained on July 8, the same day the Zone 9 bloggers were released, along with six other locally-based opposition politicians, social media activists, and youths, on suspicion that they have links to the diaspora-based opposition group Ginbot 7. Zelalem, who was the co-organizer of the training session, is also charged with using social media to oust the government and sending reports that appeared on independent Ethiopian satellite service ESAT tv. They will appear in court on July 22 to hear a verdict.

The regularity of these arrests suggests a concerning trend, in which journalists are being arrested for the suspicion of what they might say or do and detained without any substantive evidence to support their crimes. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression David Kaye said in a recent report that not only do such charges “fail to meet the standards for permissible restrictions,” states like Ethiopia “…undermine the rights to privacy and freedom of expression when they penalize those who produce and distribute tools to facilitate online access for activists.”

“Encryption and anonymity, and the security concepts behind them, provide the privacy and security necessary for the exercise of the right to freedom of opinion and expression in the digital age. Such security may be essential for the exercise of other rights, including economic rights, privacy, due process, freedom of peaceful assembly and association, and the right to life and bodily integrity,” Kaye said in the report.

Encryption is indeed a powerful tool that not only enables users to communicate securely online, but fosters the kind of conditions that make freedom of expression possible. Its use should never be cause for the deprivation of freedom.