- Organisation: Alpha TV,
- Case: Detention
- Culprit: police officers
- Country: Ethiopia
- City: Addis Ababa
At around 4 p.m. on Friday, May 27, security officers detained Bekalu, the founder and chief editor of YouTube-based news channel Alpha TV, from his office in the capital of Addis Ababa, according to news reports, his wife Helen Abate, who spoke to CPJ via phone, and a person familiar with his case who spoke on condition of anonymity, citing safety concerns. The following day, around 9:00 a.m. on May 28, police officers arrested Meaza, founder and chief editor of YouTube-based news channel Roha TV, from a colleague’s house, according to news reports, her husband Robel Gebeyehu, and Roha TV reporter Misrak Tefera, both of whom spoke to CPJ by phone. Police brought Bekalu before the Federal First Instance Court, Arada Branch, on May 28 and accused him of incitement to violence through media appearances, according to Helen. She said the court granted police 12 more days to keep Bekalu in custody pending an investigation into the allegations. The person familiar with the case said police did not specify which media appearances and that authorities have not yet filed formal charges against Bekalu.