Latest news with #Tigrinya
The Star
25-04-2025
- The Star
Online threats in Ethiopia reveal content moderation failures
ADDIS ABABA: Lella Mesikir built a huge following with online posts about gender rights in Ethiopia but says a lack of local language content moderation has forced her to flee into exile. Analysts say social media in countries like Ethiopia can be particularly lawless since their systems often fail to filter out hate speech in local languages. Lella's nightmare began on Oct 22 when she posted a video on TikTok calling on women to flee abusive partners. An Ethiopian influencer described the message as a "hate campaign against men" and disrespectful of the country's religion and culture. Other posts suggested she was pro-LGBTQ – a serious accusation in a country where same-sex relationships can lead to 15 years in prison – or even in league with the devil due to the tattoos on her fingers. Lella said a TikTok group was created specifically targeting her, including calls for her murder. In November, the 32-year-old feminist saw no choice but to flee to neighbouring Kenya. "I had to leave my family, my job and everything I had in Ethiopia due to the threats," she told AFP, crying heavily. "I am devastated," she added, saying the episode had left her with both psychological and financial problems. 'Horrific comments' Lella said TikTok bears some responsibility as it "abysmally fails" to moderate content in Amharic, the most common language in Ethiopia, as well as regional languages Tigrinya and Afaan Oromoo. "I've seen so many videos made by Ethiopian men on TikTok, making horrific comments about women, but nothing is being done," she said. TikTok told AFP it had "zero tolerance for misogyny and hate speech" and removes 92% of content before it is reported to them, using "a combination of technology and human moderation in over 70 languages, including Amharic". Those claims were disputed by Workineh Diribsa, a journalism professor at Ethiopia's Jimma University, who said TikTok had become a breeding ground for "extremely dangerous" content. "Audio recordings of schoolgirls being gang-raped, graphic footage of beheadings and torture by militants and violent extremism are often streamed live," he said. Some influencers in Ethiopia have even used such content to increase their followers. A study released this month by the Centre for Information Resilience, a British NGO, found social media was exacerbating Ethiopia's multiple political, ethnic and religious conflicts. "In Ethiopia, online hate speech has already had lethal consequences," Felicity Mulford, research manager at CIR, told AFP. The study found "women who challenge traditional gender roles, such as those in leadership positions, sports or those advocating for feminism and women's rights, face particularly severe abuse" and accusations of "financial fraud or a conflation with lesbianism". 'Devastating consequences' Kenya is among the countries trying to force tech companies to take greater responsibility. Kenyan courts recently ruled they can hear cases brought against Meta, the parent company of Facebook, for hate speech on its platforms. One involves Meareg Amare, a university lecturer in northern Ethiopia murdered in 2021 after Facebook posts – that included his name, photo and address – accusing him of being part of the Tigrayan rebel movement, which his family denies. Meta announced in January it was ending its fact-checking programme in the United States, and there are fears this may spread to other regions, including Africa. AFP is involved in a partnership with Meta providing fact-checking services in Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and Africa. "Social media platforms' rollback of content moderation could have devastating consequences in countries such as Ethiopia, where political divisions and threats are significantly surging online," said Mulford. Ethiopia faces continued political unrest in Tigray, as well as violent insurgencies in other areas and rising tensions with neighbouring Eritrea. "The failure to moderate is not just allowing hate to thrive, it is enabling violence and human rights violations to go unchecked," said Ethiopian digital rights expert Megdelawit Getahun. – AFP
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Yahoo
Judge used Google translate to speak to African asylum seeker
A judge had to use Google's translate tool to speak to an asylum seeker in court because they could not find an interpreter who spoke his language. Eritrean national Abdoela Berhan, who gave his age as 34, appeared before magistrates on charges of assault and criminal damage. But the defendant told the court that he could not speak any English. District judge Orla Austin said she could not take his pleas or outline the circumstances of the case if Mr Berhan could not understand what was being said. The court clerk said they could not source a translator who spoke the same African language so had to adjourn the case to try to find one. But they needed to inform Mr Berhan of his bail conditions and the date for when he needed to return to court. Ms Austin typed the bail conditions and instructions for returning to court into Google translate on her laptop. The clerk then approached the dock and held up the device to the defendant so he could read it. The case highlights the difficulties UK courts face in dealing with immigrants who cannot speak English. Ministry of Justice (MoJ) figures for 2023 showed £59.2 million was spent on interpreters in three years. The majority of this was for foreign criminals in court hearings, although some was also for witnesses or tribunals. The figures also showed that since 2020, the MoJ's translation bill increased from £16m to £22m a year. A spokesman said this was because courts are hearing more cases since the pandemic. Mr Berhan is alleged to have assaulted a Subway assistant manager on Nov 30, punched a woman in the face at a nightclub on Dec 7 and smashed a window at the hotel where he's living in Bournemouth, Dorset, on Feb 19. His case was adjourned until May. Eritrea is a one-party state and has not held elections for several years. According to international organisation Human Rights Watch, it has one of the worst human rights records in the world. It has no official language but the main working languages are Tigrinya, Arabic and English. Eritrea is one of top 10 nationalities applying for asylum in the UK and has a very high acceptance rate. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
24-03-2025
- Telegraph
Judge used Google translate to speak to African asylum seeker
A judge had to use Google's translate tool to speak to an asylum seeker in court because they could not find an interpreter who spoke his language. Eritrean national Abdoela Berhan, who gave his age as 34, appeared before magistrates on charges of assault and criminal damage. But the defendant told the court that he could not speak any English. Could not take his pleas District judge Orla Austin said she could not take his pleas or outline the circumstances of the case if Mr Berhan could not understand what was being said. The court clerk said they could not source a translator who spoke the same African language so had to adjourn the case to try to find one. But they needed to inform Mr Berhan of his bail conditions and the date for when he needed to return to court. Ms Austin typed the bail conditions and instructions for returning to court into Google translate on her laptop. The clerk then approached the dock and held up the device to the defendant so he could read it. Difficulties in dealing with immigrants The case highlights the difficulties UK courts face in dealing with immigrants who cannot speak English. Ministry of Justice (MoJ) figures for 2023 showed £59.2 million was spent on interpreters in three years. The majority of this was for foreign criminals in court hearings, although some was also for witnesses or tribunals. The figures also showed that since 2020, the MoJ's translation bill increased from £16m to £22m a year. A spokesman said this was because courts are hearing more cases since the pandemic. No official language in Eritrea Mr Berhan is alleged to have assaulted a Subway assistant manager on Nov 30, punched a woman in the face at a nightclub on Dec 7 and smashed a window at the hotel where he's living in Bournemouth, Dorset, on Feb 19. His case was adjourned until May. Eritrea is a one-party state and has not held elections for several years. According to international organisation Human Rights Watch, it has one of the worst human rights records in the world. It has no official language but the main working languages are Tigrinya, Arabic and English. Eritrea is one of top 10 nationalities applying for asylum in the UK and has a very high acceptance rate.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
LA schools distributing ‘Know Your Rights' cards to immigrant families
LOS ANGELES (KTLA) — Schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) are now distributing 'red cards,' also known as 'Know Your Rights' cards, and other resources to immigrant community members. The cards, which are about the size of a credit card, will help immigrants and others 'assert their constitutional rights in encounters with federal law enforcement officials,' according to the Community Resource Guide for Immigrant Angelenos, which was put together by the Mayor Karen Bass's Office of Immigrant Affairs and is now being made available by LAUSD amid the Trump administration's widespread immigration crackdown. Available to citizens and non-citizens alike, the documents were created by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) and are available in 16 languages from Spanish to Haitian Creole to Tigrinya. Click here to access them. An unprecedented demand for the 'red cards' has caused ILRC officials to temporarily suspend their program that allowed nonprofits to access the cards for free. The quickest way to get a card, officials say, is to print them on your own. The cards are formatted as standard 3.5' x 2' business cards, and any print or copy shop should be able to work with the files, according to the ILRC. Businesses, private attorneys and organizations looking to order more than 1,000 red cards should visit which offers a union-run printer service set up to accept, print and ship them to customers. More information on using 'red cards' can be found here. The initiative to distribute the cards comes on the heels of President Trump's announcement that his administration would allow Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers to conduct arrests in sensitive areas, such as schools and churches, reversing a 2011 policy that prohibited arrests being made in those places. Additionally, LAUSD has relaunched its L.A. Unified 2025: We Are One campaign, which 'formalizes and amplifies the district's efforts to cultivate welcoming learning environments for all students.' Per the November school board resolutions, LAUSD is a 'sanctuary district' and safe zone for families threatened by immigration enforcement, according to district officials. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
LA schools distributing ‘red cards' to help immigrant families ‘assert constitutional rights'
LOS ANGELES (KTLA) – Schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District are now distributing 'red cards' – also known as 'Know Your Rights' cards – and other resources to remind immigrant community members what their legal rights are. The cards, which are about the size of a credit card, will help immigrant Angelenos 'assert their constitutional rights in encounters with federal law enforcement officials,' according to the Community Resource Guide for Immigrant Angelenos, which was put together by the L.A. Mayor Karen Bass' Office of Immigrant Affairs and is now being made available by LAUSD. Available to citizens and non-citizens alike, the documents were created by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) and are available in 16 languages from Spanish to Haitian Creole to Tigrinya. Click here to access them. An unprecedented demand for the 'red cards' has caused ILRC officials to temporarily suspend their program that allowed non-profits to access the cards for free. The quickest way to get a card, officials say, is to print them on your own. The cards are formatted as standard 3.5' x 2' business cards, and any print or copy shop should be able to work with the files, according to the ILRC. Businesses, private attorneys and organizations looking to order more than 1,000 red cards should visit which offers a union-run printer service set up to accept, print and ship them to customers. More information on using 'red cards' can be found here. The initiative to distribute the cards comes on the heels of newly-elected President Donald Trump's announcement that his administration would allow Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers to conduct arrests in sensitive areas, such as schools and churches, reversing a 2011 policy that prohibited arrests being made in those places. Additionally, LAUSD has relaunched its L.A. Unified 2025: We Are One campaign, which 'formalizes and amplifies the district's efforts to cultivate welcoming learning environments for all students.' Per the Nov. 2024 school board resolutions, LAUSD is a 'sanctuary district' and safe zone for families threatened by immigration enforcement, according to district officials. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
