Mekelle፡Telaviv, Nairobi, Pretoria, London, (Tigray Herald).
“No Peace Without Truth: Enforcing Social Sanctions on Genocide Denial and Media-Driven Division in Post-Genocide Tigray”
Issued By:Tigray Media Watch (TMW)In collaboration with:Horn of Africa Geopolitical Review (HAGR)With contributions from leading regional and international political, security, legal, and digitalintelligence experts
And Tigray Herald
Executive Summary
In the wake of the Tigray Genocide, where over half a million civilians were systematically exterminated by the Eritrean regime and its allies, truth, justice, and collective memory arenon-negotiable foundations for national recovery. However, certain media platforms afiliatedwith the defunct TPLF structure have become tools of betrayal propagating genocide denial,shielding the Eritrean regime, and inciting intra-Tigrayan civil conflict.
This document calls for the immediate and strict enforcement of structured social sanctions,both informal and formal, against TPLF-afiliated media groups and personalities who have violated the moral, social, and legal expectations of Tigray’s post-genocide society. Their behavior not only dishonors the victims and martyrs but constitutes an existential threat to thefragile peace, justice, and unity of the Tigrayan people.
Introduction: The Role of Social Sanctions in Post-Genocide Societies
In transitional societies recovering from genocide, social sanctions are essential tools for reinforcing collective values, enforcing moral boundaries, and preserving the dignity of victims.These sanctions reflect the will of society to protect itself from betrayal, revisionism, andrenewed violence.
As defined by international legal and social frameworks, social sanctions include both formal instruments (legal prosecution, de-platforming, defamation liability) and informal mechanisms(public shaming, exclusion, revocation of social standing).
Genocide denial, under international law (Rome Statute, Article 25; UN Genocide Convention,Article III), is not just morally reprehensible it is criminal when it incites violence or obstructs justice.
Case in Focus: Post-Genocide Betrayal by TPLF-Linked Media
The following media groups have become active disseminators of genocide denial, division, and PFDJ apologetics:
📺 Zara Media
🎙 Brakhe Show (ብራኸ ሾው)
📰 Dedebit Media
🌐 Tigray Press
📡 Woyen News paper
🧾 Horizon Free Media
🗞 Tigrai Online
These platforms have:
Disseminated false narratives undermining verified genocidal atrocities;
Provided airtime and legitimacy to Eritrean regime enablers and sympathizers;
Delegitimized Tigray’s collective grief and national resistance;
Promoted division, inter-clan hostility, and political extremism;Incited civil war narratives among Tigrayans;
Served as agents of the PFDJ regime, strategically embedded in TPLF-afiliated circles.
Strategic Justification for Social Sanctions
- Violation of Social Norms and National Values
Tigray, a society bound by the sacred memory of its martyrs, has non-negotiable moralboundaries. Denial of genocide and public betrayal of the people’s sufering must not betolerated under any pretext of “free expression.”
- Dangerous Precedent of Impunity
Failure to sanction such betrayal normalizes treachery, encourages future deniers, and grantscover to war criminals and their agents.
- Protection of Societal Cohesion
In a post-genocide context, unity is not optional. Media actors who fan the flames of factionalismserve foreign agendas and erode the spiritual, cultural, and political reconstruction of theTigrayan people.
- Legal Obligation Under International Norms
According to the UN Ofice on Genocide Prevention, denying or minimizing a genocideundermines eforts to seek justice and is a form of secondary victimization.
What Are Social Sanctions?
Social sanctions are tools of moral and communal enforcement:
Formal Sanctions
Legal accountability for incitement and genocide denial Institutional bans, de-platforming Disqualification from civil society or public funding
Informal Sanctions
Public naming and shaming
Professional ostracism
Withdrawal of community trust
Boycotts
Legal Framework and Global Precedents
- UN Genocide Convention (1948) – Article III prohibits “direct and public incitement to commitgenocide.”
- Rome Statute (ICC, 1998) – Holds individuals accountable for incitement and aiding crimesagainst humanity.
- Rwanda Post-Genocide Laws (2003 Law No. 33 bis/2003) – Criminalizes genocide denialand media incitement.
- Germany’s Volksverhetzung Law – Criminalizes Holocaust denial and incitement to hatred,including through media.These global examples show that freedom of expression cannot be used to defend theindefensible. Strong and Immediate Recommendations
The following actions must be implemented by civil society, government actors, and communityorganizations in Tigray and across the global Tigrayan diaspora:
- Immediate Public Naming and Shaming
Publish verified lists of media groups and personalities engaged in genocide denial andincitement.Issue oficial community alerts through respected civic bodies, elders, intellectuals, and religiousleaders.
- Digital and Economic Boycott
Call on sponsors, advertisers, and diaspora supporters to immediately withdraw financialsupport from these media platforms.Launch community-driven campaigns to de-platform these media from YouTube, Facebook,Telegram, and TikTok.
- Legal and Institutional Complaints
File reports to international digital watchdogs and national regulators regarding hate speech andmisinformation.Refer key actors to international bodies for potential incitement crimes or obstruction of justice.
- Establish a Post-Genocide Social Accountability Council
Comprised of legal experts, community representatives, victims’ families, and clergy to monitor,investigate, and sanction media platforms and public figures undermining truth and justice.
- Develop Community-Level Guidelines for Media Ethics
Enforce a binding code of conduct for Tigrayan media, with clear sanctions for violations tied togenocide denial or internal incitement.
- Educational Campaigns on Genocide Truth and Memory
Promote survivor testimonies, court records, and forensic evidence across platforms to counter disinformation.Invest in media literacy and memory preservation programs in Tigray’s schools and diasporainstitutions.
Closing Message: “Truth is Our Weapon. Memory is Our Shield.
“To allow genocide denial to flourish is to kill the victims twice first with bullets, and again with lies. In the name of the martyrs of Hawzen, Axum, Adwa, Zalambessa, and countless other towns we, as a people, must reclaim the narrative. We must defend our memory, confront betrayal, and restore national honor through social and legal means. Social sanctions are not revenge they are the soul of justice when formal courts delay. Tigray’shealing begins with truth, and truth begins with courage.
Prepared by:
Tigray Media WatchHorn of Africa Geopolitical Review (HAGR) With contributions from international legal scholars, media ethics experts, and post-genocidepolicy advisors.
