His government issued a new order aiming to restrict media reporting of the country’s year-long war,prohibiting the sharing of non-official information on “military-related movements,battlefront results and situations”.
The statement released on Friday AEDT,which applies to everyone in the country,also warns that “supporting the[rival Tigray forces] directly or indirectly in the name of freedom of speech should cease immediately.” And it strongly warned against calls for the formation of a transitional government.
Security forces would “take measures” against violators,it said,but didn’t elaborate.
Abiy’s government on Thursday warned the US against “spreading false information”.
Foreign media have been barred from Tigray for much of the war,with communications links severed,and both local and foreign journalists have been intimidated and harassed. The US and other governments have been urging their citizens to leave immediately.
Abiy was wearing military fatigues and speaking to the television station in the Afaan Oromo and Amharic languages from the north-eastern Afar region,according to the broadcast. Reuters could not independently verify exactly where it was filmed.