Ethiopia on Tuesday revoked the licence of independent outlet Addis Standard, citing harm to national interests.
The decision marks the latest restriction on press freedom in Africa’s second most populous nation of roughly 130 million people.
In a statement on Facebook, the Ethiopian Media Authority said the outlet violated media ethics and national laws.
The authority stated that Addis Standard repeatedly published reports endangering the country’s interests and ignored prior official warnings.
It announced the revocation of the outlet’s registration certificate effective February 24, 2026.
Addis Standard is among Ethiopia’s few independent platforms, with nearly one million followers on X.
The outlet has reported extensively on unrest in Amhara, where rebels have battled federal forces for several years.
It has also covered tensions in Tigray, a northern region where fragile calm risks sliding back into conflict.
Ethiopia ranks 145th out of 180 countries in the press freedom index compiled by Reporters Without Borders.
The licence withdrawal comes as legislative elections scheduled for early June draw closer.
In February, authorities declined to renew the press credentials of three Reuters correspondents after an investigation into alleged paramilitary links.
The report claimed Ethiopia hosted a training base for Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces fighting the regular army since April 2023.
In December, local journalists working for Deutsche Welle were permanently suspended, while BBC correspondents also saw credentials lapse.
Four journalists imprisoned for nearly three years now face terrorism charges and potential death sentences, though executions remain rare.
Under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, in power since 2018, the media landscape remains sharply polarised and increasingly constrained.
