Largest Ethiopian newspaper sued by Orthodox Church
The Ethiopian private newspaper Addis Neger is being sued by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, according to local newspaper reports this weekend. It was charged of defaming the church by allegedly writing false information about Patriarch Abune Paulos and the ongoing crisis inside the troubled church.
The famous Amharic weekly paper widely reported on the power struggle inside the church's executive committee. Journalist Abraham Begizew was as the result taken to a police station before being released on bail. Abraham was previously attacked and beaten by unidentified men as he was investigating the crisis in the Addis Ababa Diacese.
According to local papers, the Addis Neger Editor-in-Chief Tamerate Nagera was also jailed briefly.
The previous Editor of the newspaper faced similar issues last year as he was imprisoned briefly over the paper's coverage of the controversial trial of singer Teddy Afro. Addis Neger is said to have the largest newspaper circulation in the country.
