Written by: Mohammed Omran
Addis Ababa police continue detention The well-known journalist and content creator Salsawt Bainsagen has been detained for about a week without being brought before a court or any clear official reasons being given for her arrest, according to the African News Agency (APA).
The detention of journalist and well-known content creator Salsawit Bainsagen
The detainee's family said that the authorities did not provide any explanation regarding the reasons for the arrest, noting that the arrest took place last Monday, without informing them of the details of the case or the charges against her.
Was the arrest of the famous Ethiopian content creator due to a controversial video?
Salsawet’s sister, Haymanot Bainsagen, added that the family was unable to reach her during the first two days of her detention, as she was placed inside what is known as the ”dark room,” before they were later allowed to visit her inside the Third Police Station near Georges Square in the capital, Addis Ababa.
She explained that the police had previously informed the family that she would be taken to court on June 16, but the hearing did not take place, and she has not been presented to any judicial authority so far, without providing an official explanation for this.
Some estimates suggest that the arrest may be related to a video she posted on social media, which addressed events related to the killing of a number of followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in the Oromia region, along with other issues that sparked widespread controversy.
Local reports also indicated the arrest of a number of people linked to similar cases, including researchers, religious figures and media personalities, as part of extensive investigations into content published on digital platforms.
Salsawit Bayensagen is one of the most influential figures on social media in Ethiopia, where she has a wide fan base and is known for raising human rights issues and political controversy in the country, which makes her case a subject of widespread media interest inside and outside Ethiopia.
