Ethiopian correspondent for French newspaper La Croix expelled from the country

Ethiopia has expelled Augustine Passilly, the correspondent for the French newspaper La Croix, marking another blow to press freedom in the East African nation. The newspaper announced Friday that Passilly, who had been reporting from Ethiopia since September 2023, was expelled after her accreditation was revoked earlier in the week. La Croix described the decision as "incomprehensible" and "an attack on press freedom."

Thomas Hofnung, head of the international desk at La Croix, stated that Passilly was expelled upon her return from a reporting trip to Tigray, an unstable region in northern Ethiopia. He expressed astonishment, asserting that she had violated no regulations and was in Tigray to cover subjects including forced recruitment. Tensions remain high in Tigray between federal and local authorities, raising concerns about a potential new conflict following the 2020-2022 civil war that claimed an estimated 600,000 lives.

Ethiopia, led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed since 2018, has faced increasing criticism from human rights organizations for its deteriorating press freedom. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranks the country 148th out of 180 nations in its 2026 press freedom index, a three-place drop from the previous year. RSF reports a "strong reassertion of control over information" by the government and notes that five journalists are currently imprisoned in Ethiopia.

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Elle a été expulsée à partir du moment où on lui a retiré son accréditation.