There’s a prison, hidden in the suburbs of Addis Ababa, named . Home to many of Ethiopia’s political prisoners, the prison is divided into eight zones. The last of these zones, Zone Eight, is to detained journalists, human rights activists, and dissidents.
Free Zone 9 bloggers campaign image. Created by Hugh D’Andrade, remixed by Hisham Almiraat; via .
To some Ethiopian netizens, there is a Ninth Zone – a Zone dedicated to the . In 2012, a group of passionate Ethiopian bloggers launched , a blogging collective that, in its , “blogs because it cares”. Zone Nine on providing a counter to the opinions, voices, and attitudes that dominate Ethiopia’s press.
The six arrested Zone Nine bloggers; via .
In April 2014, six of Zone Nine’s bloggers – along with three print journalists suspected of associating with the group – were arrested on the grounds that they were .
63 days have passed since their detention. The bloggers have appeared in court continually over the past few months while being in Addis Ababa’s Maekelawi detention center. No formal charges have been leveled against them as of yet. That said, activists fear that these bloggers and journalists will suffer the same fate that befell, two journalists imprisoned and charged with terrorism (a crime that carries heavy fines and a lengthy prison term) in 2011.
The collective has blogged about numerous political issues affecting the Ethiopian populace, hoping to bolster civic discourse in service of social change. In the wake of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s death, for example, Zone Nine of Zenawi’s proclaimed economic development achievements, casting doubt on his legacies. They also partnered with Global Voices to launch in 2012, hoping to make international news accessible to local readers.
Since its inception, Zone Nine has amassed a passionate readership within the country. According to its own bloggers, Zone Nine’s stories have occasionally been within the country, signaling wider support for the messages it has broadcasted. Outside of Ethiopia, the detention of the Zone Nine bloggers has ignited public furor. Global Voices launched a and organized a FreeZone9Bloggers on May 14, while UN High Commissioner Navi Pillay Ethiopia’s increasing frequency of charges against journalists on the grounds of terrorism.