Legal, Policy Reforms Crucial Prior to May Elections OUR REPORT: "Journalism Is Not a Crime" Violations of Media Freedoms in Ethiopia JANUARY 21, 2015 GET THE REPORT: Download the full report Summary and Recommendations in AMHARIC (Nairobi) – The Ethiopian government’s systematic repression of independent media has created a bleak landscape for free expression ahead of the May 2015 general elections, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. In the past year, six privately owned publications closed after government harassment; at least 22 journalists, bloggers, and publishers were criminally charged, and more than 30 journalists fled the country in fear of being arrested under repressive laws. The 76-page report, “‘ Journalism is Not a Crime’: Violations of Media Freedom in Ethiopia ,” details how the Ethiopian government has curtailed independent reporting since 2010. Human Rights Watch interviewed more than 70 current and exil