Friday, September 29, 2023
  • Login
The Southern African Times
  • Home
  • Southern Africa
  • Business
    • African Start ups
    • African Continental Free Trade Area
  • Technology
    • Lifestyle
      • Health
      • Culture
      • Food and Drink
      • Entertainment
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • SAT Jobs
    • Events
  • Shop
  • About Us
    • Advertise with Us
    • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Southern Africa
  • Business
    • African Start ups
    • African Continental Free Trade Area
  • Technology
    • Lifestyle
      • Health
      • Culture
      • Food and Drink
      • Entertainment
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • SAT Jobs
    • Events
  • Shop
  • About Us
    • Advertise with Us
    • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
The Southern African Times
No Result
View All Result
Home in Southern Africa

Ethiopia passes law imposing jail terms for internet posts that stir unrest

by SAT Reporter
February 14, 2020
in in Southern Africa
0
Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed
0
VIEWS

Ethiopia’s parliament passed a law on Thursday imposing jail terms for people whose internet posts stir unrest, a move the government says is needed to prevent violence ahead of elections but which the United Nations says will stifle free speech.

Ethiopia, for decades one of the most tightly controlled states in Africa, has undergone huge political change since reformist Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed took office two years ago.

But even as Abiy has freed political prisoners and journalists and lifted a ban on opposition parties, the authorities have struggled to contain a surge in ethnic violence. An election this year is seen as the biggest test yet of whether his ambitious political reforms can stick.

The new law permits fines of up to 100,000 Ethiopian birr ($3,000) and imprisonment for up to five years for anyone who shares or creates social media posts that are deemed to result in violence or disturbance of public order.

Some 297 lawmakers who were present in the chamber voted in favour of the bill while just 23 were opposed.

“Ethiopia has become a victim of disinformation,” lawmaker Abebe Godebo said. “The country is a land of diversity and this bill will help to balance those diversities.”

Several of the lawmakers who opposed the bill said it violates a constitutional guarantee of free speech.

Abiy, who won the Nobel Peace Prize last year for his reconciliation with Ethiopia’s neighbour and longtime foe Eritrea, has pledged that this year’s election will be free and fair. The nation of 108 million people has regularly held elections since 1995, but only one, in 2005, was competitive.

The law was first endorsed by Abiy’s cabinet in November. At the time, the U.N.’s special rapporteur on freedom of expression urged authorities to reconsider it, warning it would worsen already high ethnic tensions and possibly fuel further violence.

International rights groups say it creates a legal means for the government to muzzle opponents.

“Politicians or activists or others will be forced to be cautious, afraid that their speech might fall into the definition of hate speech or can be considered as false information,” said Amnesty International’s Ethiopia researcher Fisseha Tekle.

Next Post

South Africa look for a fresh start in T20Is against England

SAT Reporter

Related Posts

Avian Flu Ravages South Africa’s Poultry Industry, Threatening Soaring Costs
Business

Avian Flu Ravages South Africa’s Poultry Industry, Threatening Soaring Costs

by SAT Reporter
September 27, 2023
Zambia’s Former President Edgar Lungu Faces Police Warning Over Morning Jogs Seen as “Political Activism”
in Southern Africa

Zambia’s Former President Edgar Lungu Faces Police Warning Over Morning Jogs Seen as “Political Activism”

by SAT Reporter
September 26, 2023
Angolan Minister Stresses Vital Role of Oil and Gas, Vows Investment
Angola

Angolan Minister Stresses Vital Role of Oil and Gas, Vows Investment

by SAT Reporter
September 19, 2023
SACCI Survey: South African Trade Faces Headwinds
Markets

SACCI Survey: South African Trade Faces Headwinds

by SAT Reporter
September 14, 2023
African Chrome Fields Unveils World-First Mining Technology In Zimbabwe
in Southern Africa

African Chrome Fields Unveils World-First Mining Technology In Zimbabwe

by SAT Reporter
September 10, 2023
Next Post
South Africa look for a fresh start in T20Is against England

South Africa look for a fresh start in T20Is against England

Browse by Category

  • African Continental Free Trade Area
  • African Debt
  • African Start ups
  • Algeria
  • All News
  • Analysis
  • Angola
  • Asia
  • Botswana
  • BOTSWANA
  • BRICS
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burundi
  • Business
  • Business
  • Cameroon
  • Central Africa
  • China
  • Climate Change
  • Climate Changev
  • Congo Republic
  • COVID 19
  • CRYPTOCURRENCY
  • Culture
  • Democratic Republic of Congo
  • Eastern Africa
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Egypt
  • Energy
  • Entertainment
  • Environment
  • Ethiopia
  • Europe
  • Fashion
  • Feature
  • Finance
  • Food
  • Food and Drink
  • Foods
  • GABON
  • Ghana
  • Global
  • Guinea
  • Health
  • Immigration
  • in Southern Africa
  • International news
  • Just In
  • Kenya
  • Lesotho
  • Libya
  • Life Style
  • Lifestyle
  • Malawi
  • Malawi
  • Mali
  • Markets
  • Middle East
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Niger
  • niger
  • Nigeria
  • North Africa
  • North-Eastern Africa
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Property
  • Racism
  • Rwanda
  • SAT Jobs
  • Senegal
  • Seychelles
  • South Africa
  • South Sudan
  • Sports
  • Startup Africa
  • STOCK EXCHANGE
  • Sudan
  • Sustainablity
  • Tanzania
  • Technology
  • Telecommunications
  • The Power Of She
  • Togo
  • Travel
  • Travel
  • Tunisia
  • Uganda
  • Uncategorized
  • West Africa
  • World
  • World
  • ZAMBIA
  • Zambia
  • ZIMBABWE
  • Zimbabwe

Browse by Tags

africa African business news Africa News african footballer African investments african markets African news African start-up Agriculture banking Business China Classic Climate change Content currency economy Explore Bali Finance football Investment Kenya Life Style Markets Market Stories Nigeria oil and gas Opinion Pandemic Politics Premium Russia South Africa Southern African News sports Stay Home technology Travel United Kingdom United Stated Vaccine Work From Home Wuhan Zambia Zimbabwe

WHO WE ARE

The Southern African Times is a regional bloc digital newspaper that covers Southern African and world news. The paper also gives a nuanced analysis on news and covers a wide range of reporting which include sports, entertainment, foreign affairs, arts and culture.
  • Home
  • Southern Africa
  • Business
    • African Start ups
    • African Continental Free Trade Area
  • Technology
    • Lifestyle
      • Health
      • Culture
      • Food and Drink
      • Entertainment
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • SAT Jobs
    • Events
  • Shop
  • About Us
    • Advertise with Us
    • Contact Us

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist