This archive report was first published on 3 August 2020.
On August 3, 2020, the Kenyan government stated that Yassin Juma, a Kenyan journalist detained in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, had been given adequate assistance to defend himself.
A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Mr Juma, whose real name is Collins Juma Osemo, had been granted relevant consular assistance.
Mr Juma, a former investigative journalist for various media outlets in Kenya, was arrested in July 2020 in Addis Ababa and accused of working illegally in the country.
However, the actual charges in court alleged that he and four others had been charged with incitement and involvement in violence and plotting to create ethnic violence and to kill senior Ethiopian officials.
These charges were also levelled against several opposition politicians, following protests that erupted after the killing of veteran Oromo Musician and activist Hachalu Hundessa.
According to reports, Hundessa was gunned down in July 2020 by unknown assailants in Addis Ababa, sparking violent protests in the capital and other urban centres where he was popular.
Police said it arrested 3,500 people after 239 were killed in the protests. Addis Ababa accused Egypt of fomenting domestic trouble ostensibly to divert Ethiopia's attention from filling the Grand Ethiopia Renaissance Dam (GERD).
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that its embassy in Addis Ababa had been following up on Mr Juma's arrest and detention at Sostegna police Station in that city.
On July 20, a consular officer at the embassy visited Mr Juma at Sostegna, according to the statement.
Mr Juma earlier told friends and lawyers of his co-accused that he was facing a language barrier and had no legal representation when he was first taken to court in mid-July.
On July 28, he was returned to court for the third time as police sought to detain him further to complete investigations.
The journalist told the court that he had been in Ethiopia legally and was pursuing an online course.
However, police reportedly arrested him in the house of opposition politician, Jawar Mohammed, the founder of the Oromia Media Network (OMN).
Mr Mohammed is also being detained in Addis Ababa, accused of undermining authorities.
The Kenyan government stated that Mr Juma now has a lawyer named Tuli Bayissa and that he 'has expressed confidence in him.'
'The embassy is following up on the matter and according him any necessary assistance,' Jane Kariuki, the Head of Public Affairs at the Ministry, said on Friday.
Mr Juma will return to court on August 5.
