Feteh

{{Short description|Ethiopian weekly newspaper}}

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| type = Weekly

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| founder = Temesgen Desalegn

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| foundation = {{start date and age|2008}}

| political = Independent

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| headquarters = Ethiopia

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Feteh ({{langx|am|ፍትሕ}}) is an Ethiopian independent weekly newspaper founded in 2008 by Temesgen Desalegn. The paper is known for its critical coverage of Dr. Abiy's government. Its name translates into English as "Justice".

According to the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), between 2008 and July 2011, the Ethiopian government filed 41 lawsuits against Desalegn for his work with the paper. In 2011, one of its columnists, 28-year-old Reeyot Alemu, was arrested on terrorism charges.{{cite web |url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201107210947.html |title=Ethiopia: Terrorists? A Look At Two Jailed Local Journalists |author=Tom Rhodes |date=20 July 2011 |publisher=Committee to Protect Journalists |archivedate=9 January 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120109071110/http://allafrica.com/stories/201107210947.html |accessdate=24 August 2012 |url-status=dead }}

On 4 May 2012, Desalegn was found guilty of contempt of court after Feteh published the full text of a courtroom statement by independent journalist Eskinder Nega, who was on trial for terrorism charges. In the statement, Nega asserted his innocence and criticized the charges against him. Desalegn was given a suspended four-month prison term and a 2,000 birr (US$113) fine. CPJ protested the sentence, calling it an example of "growing severity of censorship in Ethiopia".{{cite web |url=http://cpj.org/2012/05/ethiopian-paper-fined-over-coverage-of-eskinder-ne.php |title=Ethiopian paper fined for coverage of Eskinder Nega trial |date=4 May 2012 |publisher=Committee to Protect Journalists |archivedate=2 September 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120902133020/http://www.cpj.org/2012/05/ethiopian-paper-fined-over-coverage-of-eskinder-ne.php |accessdate=24 August 2012 |url-status=dead }}

In July 2012, Feteh was closed by government order, and 30,000 copies of the paper were seized. A prosecutor stated that the paper's coverage had been found to be "detrimental to the country’s national security".{{cite web |url=https://www.cjr.org/behind_the_news/ethiopia_news_crackdown.php |title=Media restrictions tighten in Ethiopia |author=Mohammed Ademo |date=13 August 2012 |work=Columbia Journalism Review |archivedate=22 August 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120822233306/http://www.cjr.org//behind_the_news/ethiopia_news_crackdown.php |accessdate=24 August 2012 |url-status=dead }}

On 10 August, Desalegn learned through a radio broadcast that he was being charged under three articles of Ethiopia's Criminal Code: Article 613, "defamation and calumny"; Article 486, "inciting the public through false rumours"; and Article 238, "outrages against the Constitution or the Constitutional Order", a capital offense. The charges were in response to articles published in August 2011, February 2012, and March 2012, in which Feteh had reported on youth protests against the government. The UK-based anti-censorship organization Article 19 issued a statement in support of Desalegn and called for the charges to be dropped.{{cite web |url=http://www.article19.org/resources.php/resource/3406/en/ethiopia:-charges-against-feteh-newspaper-editor-temesgen-desalegn-must-be-dropped |title=Ethiopia: Charges against Feteh Newspaper editor Temesgen Desalegn must be dropped |date=10 August 2012 |publisher=Article 19 |archivedate=2 September 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120902043340/http://www.article19.org/resources.php/resource/3406/en/ethiopia:-charges-against-feteh-newspaper-editor-temesgen-desalegn-must-be-dropped |accessdate=24 August 2012 |url-status=dead }}

On 23 August, three days after the death of long-time prime minister Meles Zenawi, Desalegn was arrested on defamation charges as part of a general crackdown on government critics.{{cite web |url=http://www.ifex.org/ethiopia/2012/08/24/temesghen_desalegn_jailed/ |title=In Ethiopia, "Feteh" editor jailed during trial |date=23 August 2012 |publisher=International Freedom of Expression Exchange |archivedate=15 October 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015052933/http://www.ifex.org/ethiopia/2012/08/24/temesghen_desalegn_jailed/ |accessdate=24 August 2012 |url-status=dead }} After a court denied him bail, he was taken to Kaliti prison.{{cite web|url=http://www.awrambatimes.com/?p=2748 |title=Temesgen Desalegn arrested; court denies bail |date=23 August 2012 |work=Awramba Times |archivedate=11 August 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140811222124/http://www.awrambatimes.com/?p=2748 |accessdate=24 August 2012 |url-status=usurped }}