The first seven journalists named above, all editors of weekly independent magazines, were arrested in Addis Ababa between 15 and 22 January 1994. They are reportedly held under a new and restrictive press law issued in 1993. They are held in poor conditions in different police stations in Addis Ababa. Tefera Asmare and Iskinder Negga, chief editor and publisher respectively of Ethiopis magazine, were arrested in November 1993. They are currently on trial under the new press law. All nine journalists are believed to be prisoners of conscience.
