Mekelle፡Telaviv, Nairobi, Pretoria, London, (Tigray Herald).
Oficial Statement of Condemnation and Solidarity
“The Weaponization of Media and the Assault on Free Expression in Post-Genocide Tigray”
Issued by: Tigrayan Advocacy for Human Rights and Justice (TAHRJ) InternationalIn partnership with: Tigray Herald Joint Editorial Board
Executive Summary
In a period when truth, justice, and democratic restoration are essential for Tigray’s survival, weare gravely concerned by escalating threats and incitement of violence against TBS TV and Laza Tigryna Media, two of the region’s few impartial and independent media institutions.These threats publicly issued by a figure known as Alene Berihane, a staunch supporter of hardline TPLF ideology are not merely rhetorical; they constitute criminal incitement under both Ethiopian and international law.
His use of Facebook to call for the destruction of independent media represents a dangerous new phase in the digital weaponization of hate,directly threatening press freedom and post-genocide recovery eforts. We call upon Facebook (Meta) to remove these violent threats under their Community Standards on Violence and Incitement and urge international watchdogs to take immediateaction.
The Cult of Ideological Stagnation: TPLF’s Legacy of Media Suppression
For more than five decades, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) entrenched asingle-party narrative across all media platforms, criminalizing dissent and manufacturing consent through propaganda. Its cult-like political culture has refused to evolve even after the devastating genocide against the Tigrayan people.Rather than supporting post-conflict healing through pluralism and transparency, TPLF-alignedfigures now openly threaten violence against any voice outside their ideological frame. Alene Berihane is not an outlier; he is a product of this legacy. His public threats are emblematic of thetoxic culture that seeks to punish truth-tellers and silence reformers.
Threats and Incitement: A Violation of National and International Law
We remind all stakeholders that:
1. Inciting Violence Is a Crime
Under Ethiopian law and international human rights treaties (including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 20), incitement to violence is criminal. Alene Berihane’s Facebook post calling for independent media to be “reduced to ashes” constitutessuch incitement.
2. Violent Threats Are Not Protected Speech
Freedom of expression does not protect speech that promotes imminent harm or encourages acts of violence. Facebook’s Community Standards on Dangerous Individuals and Organizations prohibit exactly this type of content and user behavior.
3. Post-Genocide Responsibilities
In conflict and post-conflict zones, online threats can escalate into real-world violence. Facebook and other digital platforms must recognize their heightened responsibility in fragile states like Tigray and act accordingly.
4. Obligations Under International Law
The UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists mandates states and platforms to prevent impunity for attacks on media workers. Silence or inaction in the face of such threats is complicity.
Call to Action: Defending Media Freedom in Post-Genocide Tigray
We issue an urgent call to the international human rights and press freedom community,including:Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
IFEX Global Network
UNESCO Global Media Defence Fund
Meta/Facebook Oversight Board
To take the following actions:
1. Condemn public threats against Tigrayan independent journalists.
2. Deploy protective measures and emergency assistance for TBS TV and Laza Tigryna journalists.
3. Advocate for digital safety and enforce social media accountability in fragile regions.We also demand that Meta (Facebook):Remove Alene Berihane’s threatening content immediately.Suspend or permanently disable his account for violating its Violence and Incitement policies.Issue a public transparency report acknowledging these violations and their consequences.
In Defense of Independent Journalism in Tigray
TBS TV and Laza Tigryna Media represent a new generation of post-conflict journalism: free from party control, committed to integrity, and driven by the public’s right to know. They stand aspillars of truth and reconciliation, ofering balanced coverage in a society traumatized by genocide and warped by decades of ideological repression.Their presence is not merely symbolic it is structural to democracy and essential to peace.
We afirm:
Independent journalism is not betrayal it is patriotism with principles.Threatening journalists is a prosecutable crime, not a political disagreement.A free press is indispensable to preventing the return of authoritarianism in Tigray.
Recommendations
1. Criminal Accountability:
Immediate investigation and prosecution of Alene Berihane under relevant incitement and hatespeech laws.
2. Digital Platform Enforcement:
Swift action by Meta/Facebook to remove inciting content and suspend the account in line with their global standards.
3. Emergency Journalist Protection:
Deployment of digital and physical protection programs for independent journalists in Tigray.
4. Independent Oversight:
Establishment of a non-partisan media oversight body to safeguard press freedom and monitorthreats.
5. Integration into Reconstruction:
Recognition of independent media as essential stakeholders in Tigray’s political transition,reconstruction, and democratization processes.
Final Words: Journalism Is a Pillar of Tigray’s Rebirth
To the independent journalists and truth defenders of Tigray:Your voices are vital to our collective healing. Your courage is our shield against authoritarianrelapse. Your integrity lights the path to a democratic and just future.
We stand with you. We defend you. We will not be silenced.
The Tigrayan Advocacy for Human Rights and Justice (TAHRJ) International and the Tigray Herald Editorial Board reafirm our full solidarity with TBS TV, Laza Tigryna Media, and allindependent media voices across Tigray.
This statement is open for endorsement by civil society organizations, diplomatic missions,press freedom advocates, and international media watchdogs.
To add your voice to this global statement: tahrj@outlook.com
Tigray Herald Media – Public Journalism for Democratic Recovery
