Ethiopia says Prime Minister Meles Zenawi is taking “sick leave” but will remain in power while he deals with an unspecified illness. Government spokesman Bereket Simon briefed reporters in Addis Ababa Thursday, following media reports that the Ethiopian leader was critically ill at Saint Luc Hospital in Brussels, Belgium. Bereket specifically denied reports on Ethiopian […]
Ethiopia’s PM Meles on ‘Sick Leave’
Posted July 19th, 2012 at 11:15 am (UTC-5)
Ethiopia says Prime Minister Meles Zenawi is taking “sick leave” but will remain in power while he deals with an unspecified illness. Government spokesman Bereket Simon spoke to reporters in Addis Ababa Thursday, following media reports that the Ethiopian leader was critically ill at Saint Luc Hospital in Brussels, Belgium. Bereket specifically denied reports on […]
Ethiopia’s PM Meles ‘on Sick Leave’
Posted July 19th, 2012 at 10:00 am (UTC-5)
The Ethiopian government says Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has been prescribed a “sick leave” by his doctor, and will return to work when he has recuperated. A statement released in Addis Ababa Thursday did not say what is ailing Mr. Meles, where he is, or when he might return. European media reports have said the […]
Ethiopian PM’s Health Still in Question
Posted July 19th, 2012 at 4:20 am (UTC-5)
A founding member of Ethiopia’s ruling party is accusing opposition groups and European media of exaggerating the health problems of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. There have been conflicting reports about the condition of the longtime prime minister, who has not been seen in public for two weeks. In an interview with VOA, Sibhat Nega of […]
Conflicting Reports on Health of Ethiopian PM
Posted July 18th, 2012 at 5:55 pm (UTC-5)
There are conflicting reports about the health of Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who is reported to be hospitalized in Brussels. European media Wednesday said the long-time prime minister is in critical condition, but the hospital declined to confirm the reports or to acknowledge his presence. Government officials told VOA the 57-year-old Meles is not […]
European Media: Ethiopian PM in Critical Condition
Posted July 18th, 2012 at 11:15 am (UTC-5)
European media are reporting that Ethiopia’s longtime Prime Minister Meles Zenawi is hospitalized in critical condition, contrary to statements by the government. News reports say the prime minister is hospitalized at Saint Luc Hospital in Brussels. The hospital on Wednesday declined to say if Mr. Meles is there. In interviews with VOA, government officials and […]
Ethiopia’s Meles Ill, Misses AU Meetings
Posted July 16th, 2012 at 11:10 am (UTC-5)
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi did not attend scheduled meetings with other African leaders in Addis Ababa on Saturday and Sunday, fueling speculation about his health. The government confirmed the prime minister was ill but gave no details. Mr. Meles had been scheduled to chair a meeting of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, or […]
Ethiopian Journalists, Activists Jailed for ‘Terrorism’
Posted July 13th, 2012 at 7:20 am (UTC-5)
At least 20 Ethiopians, including journalists and opposition figures, have been sentenced to prison on terrorism charges, after a trial denounced by human rights groups. In sentences handed down Friday, prominent journalist and blogger Eskinder Nega was jailed for 18 years, while Andualem Arage, a member of the Unity for Democracy and Justice party, was […]
CPJ Rips Ethiopian Crackdown on Journalists
Posted July 3rd, 2012 at 5:10 pm (UTC-5)
“I think what’s different now is that we’re also seeing individual Facebook pages being blocked, and they say that (privacy) softwares like Tor and (other) proxies that many Ethiopians use to access those sites regardless of the censorship are now not working either.” Last month, the U.S. State Department voiced “deep concern” about the Ethiopian […]
CPJ Rips Ethiopian Crackdown on Journalists
Posted July 3rd, 2012 at 5:00 pm (UTC-5)
The international organization Committee to Protect Journalists says the Ethiopian government is stepping up efforts to control the Internet, both by preventing access to certain websites and by blocking users from software used to circumvent the censors. CPJ spokesman Danny O’Brien says the government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has been blocking major news sites […]
