Kassahun's incarceration has spurred protests — a rarity in this tightly controlled Horn of Africa country — and is fast becoming a national symbol of what some call Ethiopia's democratic backsliding.
After a 2005 post-election crackdown, Ethiopia's Government tried to ease tensions last fall by pardoning thousands of jailed opposition supporters and allowing some independent newspapers to reopen.
“We’d hoped that was the beginning of an opening in the democratic space,” said Hailu Araaya, deputy chairman of the recently formed Unity for Democracy and Justice party. He spent 20 months in jail before his release in July 2007. “But the political space is contracting again. It’s clear the ruling party is determined to stay in power by any means.”
Government critics point to a string of new laws targeting political parties, journalists and humanitarian agencies.
Under one new law, political parties no longer may accept foreign donations and must disclose the names of domestic contributors. Opposition groups say that restriction has dried up their financial support, because potential contributors fear government retaliation.
A draft bill would ban private aid agencies and civic groups from “political” activities, such as advocating human rights, if they receive more than 10 per cent of their funding from foreigners.
A new media law permits government censorship and jail terms for journalists.
Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said the reforms were an attempt to bring Ethiopia's laws up to international standards, noting that US rules also ban foreign campaign contributions.
“We are institutionalizing democracy and getting the law right,” he said. “I don’t think the political space is in any way being constrained.”
But critics said restrictions on foreign funding and political activism were particularly galling, considering that nearly 40 per cent of Ethiopia's government budget comes from international donors and that the ruling party has hired a Washington, D C, lobbyist to attack US legislation seeking...
