Supreme Court in Ethiopia today ordered four newspaper publishers to pay high fines based on treason charges made in the aftermath of the 2005 election when 13 newspapers were closed by the government, according to Eskinder Nega, General Manager, Serkalem Publishing House.
The court overruled a previous ruling that the publishers have been pardoned by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi in 2007.
Alula Kebede spoke with Eskinder and reported that fines imposed were: Serkalem Publishing House, 120,000 birr; Sisay Publishing House, 100,000 birr; Zekarias Publishing House, 60,000 birr; Fasil Publishing House, 15,000 birr.
Thirteen newspapers were closed down in the immediate aftermath of the post-election riots in 2005. (Click on the links on the side to listen to the report).
