Ethiopians demonstrate against anti-terrorism law
Ethiopians have taken to the streets of the capital Addis Ababa. They’ve protested what they termed as an intentional move by the government to criminalize them through the anti-terrorism law. The protesters claim that only citizens who have expressed opinions against the government have been subject to the law since it was adopted in 2009. The New York-based independent Committee to Protect Journalists says more than 10 journalists have been charged under Ethiopia’s anti-terrorism law, and that the country has the highest number of exiled journalists in the world. Human Rights Watch has also expressed concerns over the law for what it calls the overly broad definition of “terrorist acts.” The law’s provisions on support for terrorism contain a vague prohibition on “moral support” under which journalists have been convicted. Since 2011, eleven journalists have reportedly been convicted. The protesters demand that the government redefines who a terrorist is. The ri