Public notice regarding federal police raid on Addis Standard and mass confiscation of electronic devises
This is a public notice regarding a coordinated police raid on April 17, 2025, targeting both the private residence of a senior staff member and the offices of Addis Standard, by the federal police.
We would like to reiterate that although the detained staff members were released, the continued seizure of a wide array of personal and professional electronic equipment - including laptops, mobile phones, hard disks, and CPUs - has not only disrupted our operations but are a cause for alarm.
The confiscated electronics remain in police hands, leaving our communication channels vulnerable to misuse. Although our main digital credentials remain secure, we cannot guarantee the integrity of any messages or emails sent from the compromised devices.
This opens the door to potential impersonation, misinformation, or attempts to incriminate our team members through unauthorized access or manipulation of data.
In such a volatile environment, the use of these devices outside our control presents serious risks not only to our staff’s safety but also to the integrity of our journalistic work.
We call for urgent attention to this matter and reiterate our commitment to pursuing all legal and peaceful avenues to protect our team and uphold our integrity to defend the freedom of the press in Ethiopia.
JAKENN Publishing PLC
The Publisher of Addis Standard tri-lingual publications
