A French journalist, Antoine Galindo has been apprehended in Ethiopia following his arrest last week, as confirmed by his employer.
Antoine, who had arrived in Ethiopia on February 13 to cover the African Union summit, was detained on suspicion of “conspiracy to create chaos” in the country, according to Indigo Publications Group, the publisher of the Africa Intelligence website.
Galindo appeared in court on Saturday, with his detention extended until March 1 for the next hearing, the publisher stated.
Indigo Publications Group condemned what it deemed an “unjustified arrest,” asserting that the accusations lacked tangible evidence to justify prolonged detention.
The company emphasized that the arrest represented a grave infringement on press freedom.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) echoed these sentiments, demanding Galindo’s release and expressing outrage over the targeting of a journalist on a legitimate reporting assignment.
Ethiopian authorities have yet to comment on the situation.