Eskinder Nega, an Ethiopian journalist imprisoned repeatedly for his reporting, will talk about press freedom in his country and around the world at the National Press Club on Dec. 9 at 6 pm.
The event is jointly sponsored by the Club and its nonprofit affiliate National Press Club Journalism Institute.
Government authorities in Ethiopia have targeted Nega, a writer and editor who has founded newspapers and blogs, by enforcing vaguely worded national security laws. Most recently, he served nearly seven years of an 18 year sentence from 2012 until last year.
The Club has repeatedly championed Nega and the cause of press freedom in Ethiopia. Nega is also the recipient of awards from PEN America, the International Press Institute and other organizations.
While conditions for media in Ethiopia have improved since last April when a new prime minister took office, journalists still face challenges.
The Club, the world’s leading professional organization for journalists, represents more than 3,000 reporters, editors and professional communicators worldwide. The Institute promotes an engaged global citizenry through an independent and free press, and equips journalists with skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire civic engagement.
For more information about these issues, contact Jim Kuhnhenn, NPCJI Press Freedom fellow by phone or email at 202-264-0783 and [email protected] or John M. Donnelly, NPC Press Freedom Team chairman at 202-650-6738 and [email protected].
