The BBC reporter in Tigray has been released without charge.
Girmay Gebru was taken from a café in the regional capital, Mekelle, on Monday, and detained by the military.
A local journalist, Tamirat Yemane, and two translators – Alula Akalu and Fitsum Berhane, who were working for the Financial Times and the AFP news agency – have also been freed.
No official reason has been given for their detention.
Girmay, who works for BBC Tigrinya, says he is happy to be home after two days in detention.
It is not clear whether four of Girmay’s neighbours detained alongside him on Monday have also been released.
The BBC says it is “pleased and relieved” Girmay has been released.
“We are seeking a full explanation from the authorities as to why he and others were arrested when they had clearly committed no offence,” the BBC said.
Ethiopia has 112 million citizens, of which 6 million are Tigre. I wonder why nearly all of the “journalists” working for the international media outlets such as BBC, CNN, Al Jezeera, AP, AFP, etc. Do these organizations have issues with the other 106 million of us or is it that only the Tigre are qualified to be the truth tellers? Hard as I try to give them the benefit of the doubt, my mind always wonders whether they are looking for partisans (read opposition) who would explain the point of view of the TPLF rather than report the facts on the ground.
Sad to see so many distinguished news organizations of yesteryear putting out gossip and innuendo as news.
Dear T.,
Lazy patriotic/scholar Ethiopians have taken ethnic identity as prescribed by Tplf. Tplf has always been several steps ahead of the curve. Let me give you few examples. In mid-September 2017 Al Jazeera opened Addis Ababa office with Sebhat Nega in the mix. Now check Al Jazeera reporting and you’ll soon discover how biased the news agency is in favor of Tplf. Try VOA (Salem Solomon) or BBC or Reuters (Meseret), on and on. Now check “ethnic scholars” (Ghelawdewos, Desta Assayehgn, etc) deceiving left and right. Check well-placed “revolutionary scholar” Mulugeta Gebrehiwot (with Alex de Waal who made his career out of Tplf rise and fall and never would report atrocities Tplf committed against Tigrayans (never mind Ethiopians). I could go on listing Tplf reps at the Africa Union, UN, even Ethiopian consulates, right now! You may also check hundreds of fake Youtube, FB accounts run by Tplf. And websites. Where patriotic Ethiopians when all this is taking place in broad daylight? Well, talking about their ethnic identity at the expense of Ethiopia’s identity and security. Ever heard of Derg Major Dawit WoldeGiorgis? Check his rants! It is a sorry situation. Eprp aligned itself with Somali Liberation against Ethiopia in the 1970s; today Eprp is talking about justice for its fallen heroes! How irredeemable! I appreciate what you have done. Encourage others to write–to write clearly supported by evidence, not just being nasty and defeating the purpose of the fight!