French journalist Augustine Passilly
Monday, 15 June 2026 | Author: Andrew Michael | File Photo | GT-News |
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has condemned the Ethiopian government’s decision to expel French journalist Augustine Passilly, urging authorities to immediately reverse the move and allow her to continue reporting in the country.
Passilly, who has served as the Ethiopia correspondent for the French newspaper La Croix since September 2023, was ordered to leave the country shortly after returning from a reporting trip to the northern region of Tigray, where she interviewed residents concerned about rising tensions and the possibility of renewed conflict.
In a statement, CPJ Africa Director Angela Quintal described the expulsion as retaliation for independent reporting.
“Ethiopia’s expulsion of Augustine Passilly is a blatant act of retaliation against a journalist for reporting on developments in Tigray, an issue of significant political and security importance that authorities would rather not see scrutinized or discussed publicly,” Quintal said.
“Authorities should immediately restore Passilly’s press accreditation and residency permit, allow her to return to Ethiopia and continue her reporting, and stop using regulatory powers to punish independent journalism.”
According to Passilly, she traveled to the Tigrayan city of Shire on June 3 to report on growing insecurity and tensions linked to Ethiopia’s devastating 2020–2022 civil war. The region remains politically fragile amid divisions within the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and strained relations with Ethiopia’s federal government.
Following her return to Addis Ababa on June 6, Passilly said she was summoned by the Ethiopian Media Authority (EMA) and questioned about her trip. Officials reportedly informed her that her press accreditation, which was valid until September 2026, would be suspended temporarily on security grounds.
However, after La Croix published her report on June 8, the situation escalated. The article alleged that residents of Shire were facing forced recruitment and demands to contribute financially to military camps.
Later the same day, Passilly said the EMA notified her that her accreditation had been revoked entirely and instructed her to leave Ethiopia. She was subsequently issued an exit visa and departed for France.
The incident comes amid increasing concerns over media freedom in Ethiopia. CPJ noted that the expulsion follows a series of restrictions targeting foreign and independent media organizations, including actions affecting Reuters, Deutsche Welle, Addis Standard, and Wazema Radio.
Journalists working in Tigray have faced growing risks in recent months, including reports of intimidation, detention, and gunfire incidents amid an ongoing power struggle between rival TPLF factions.
The Ethiopian Media Authority did not immediately respond to CPJ’s request for comment regarding Passilly’s expulsion.
Media rights advocates warn that the move could further undermine press freedom in Ethiopia, where independent reporting on political and security issues has increasingly come under pressure.
