This archive report was first published on 10 July 2020.
July 3, 2020, marked the day Kenyan journalist Yassin Juma went missing in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, following a military crackdown in the wake of musician Hachalu Hundessa's murder.
Yassin's wife, Asha, has not heard from him since he vanished, and there has been no independent confirmation of his whereabouts or legal status.
According to Asha, Yassin last called her on Thursday, July 2, saying he was surrounded by soldiers and was worried about his safety. He had warned her not to contact him to avoid Ethiopian military intelligence.
Kenyan authorities have shown no interest in Yassin's plight, leaving Asha pleading with President Uhuru Kenyatta to help her husband return home.
Yassin, a former NTV journalist and blogger, had lived in Ethiopia for about a year and a half. He had been working on a project to launch the English language wing of the Oromia Media Network (OMN) and had planned to return to Kenya this year but was stranded by the coronavirus outbreak.
His ties with Ethiopian journalist Jawar Mohammed, who is being held in military prison awaiting grave charges, may have contributed to Yassin's arrest. Jawar is a wealthy businessman and a former ally of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who has a military background and has been accused of recruiting ethnic Oromo into the military to counterbalance other ethnic groups.
Yassin's arrest has sparked concerns about the safety of journalists in Ethiopia, particularly those with ties to opposition groups. His family and colleagues are calling for his release and return to Kenya.
