SECTOR 1 The constitutionality of these acts could be challenged but this can only be done through an application to the House of Federation, the upper house of parliament, which is composed of delegates from regional councils. The House would set up a Council of Constitutional Enquiry to adjudicate such issues. Scores: Individual scores: 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country meets only a few aspects of indicator 3 Country meets some aspects of indicator 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator Average score: 3.3 1.2 The right to freedom of expression is practised and citizens, including journalists, are asserting their rights without fear. The two major events in the recent history of Ethiopia – the overthrow of the dictatorial Derg regime in 1991 and the violent aftermath of the elections in 2005 – seem to have “If the reward shaped the divergent stances of panellists with regard to for expressing freedom of expression. Some emphasised the democratic progress made since 1991 and stressed that further myself is jail, I democratic change can only be achieved in stages in a country would of course like Ethiopia. Others argued that 2005 was the test of what be afraid” level of dissent would be tolerated and that opposition would obviously not be allowed. They said that the culture of fear which was broken in that year had surfaced again, with people holding themselves back and saying “What is the point”, “It is not my concern”, “Why should I get myself into this” etc. “If the reward for expressing myself is jail, I would of course be afraid,” said one panellist, sharing his experience when he was detained following the unrest in 2005. Such trauma is still haunting many, especially younger Ethiopians in urban areas. The fear of speaking openly depends on the kind of issues raised. People are generally afraid to express their political opinions freely for fear of repercussions. On other topics people tend to feel free to express their views, for example in AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER ETHIOPIA 2010 11