Ethiopia has revoked the licence of Addis Standard, one of the country’s few independent online media outlets, citing alleged harm to national interests. The move, announced Tuesday by the Ethiopian Media Authority (EMA), marks the latest restriction on press freedom in Africa’s second most populous nation.
Government Statement
According to a statement posted on Facebook, the EMA accused Addis Standard of repeatedly disseminating reports that violated media ethics, Ethiopian laws, and endangered national interests.
“Therefore… the registration certificate of Addis Standard online media has been revoked effective from today, February 24, 2026,” the authority declared.
Officials said the outlet had ignored several warnings to correct its course.
Impact on Independent Media
Addis Standard, with nearly one million followers on X, has reported extensively on conflicts in Amhara and Tigray, regions where tensions with federal forces remain high. Its closure underscores Ethiopia’s tightening grip on independent journalism ahead of legislative elections scheduled for June 2026.
Wider Crackdown
The revocation follows a series of restrictions on both local and international media:
- In February, press credentials for three Reuters correspondents were not renewed after the agency reported Ethiopia hosts a training base for Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
- In December, local journalists working for Deutsche Welle were permanently suspended, while BBC correspondents also lost accreditation.
- Four Ethiopian journalists remain imprisoned on terrorism charges and face the death penalty, though executions are rarely carried out.
Press Freedom Context
Ethiopia ranks 145th out of 180 in the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Press Freedom Index. RSF describes the media landscape under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed as “highly polarised and marked by a culture of opinion at the expense of fact-checking.”
