Privately owned Tigray Broadcasting Service said on Monday that authorities in the historic city of Aksum barred the media team from covering the annual Hidar Tsion festival, despite the outlet deploying a full crew with broadcasting equipment to report on the event.
In a statement, TBS said it initially contacted the regional tourism bureau head to obtain accreditation to cover the festival, a major Orthodox Christian celebration that attracts hundreds of thousands of worshippers and visitors. The bureau head told the media team that the responsibility for the festival rested with local authorities in Aksum and directed them to seek approval from the city’s Peace and Security Bureau, according to the statement.
However TBS said requests submitted to both the Peace and Security Bureau and the city mayor went unanswered. “We were later informed that the ban was not about a pass badge. We were told, ‘you are not allowed,’” the broadcaster said in its statement.
TBS said its reporters were ultimately forced to remove their microphones and cameras from the stage area and leave the venue. The outlet also alleged that its camera crew were prohibited from using their mobile phones to record and that their devices were searched.
The incident in Aksum comes amid a pattern of intimidation against TBS by local authorities. In June 2025, the broadcaster’s camera crew was arrested in Aksum while reporting on local governance complaints; they were held for several days before being released. A second incident occurred in Mekelle, the regional capital, where the media team was reportedly detained for several hours while covering protests by former Tigray special police members outside the police commission. A third reported case took place on July 27, 2025, when a TBS journalist covering a protest in Wejerat, Southern Tigray, faced unspecified restrictions and harassment.
TBS is a privately owned broadcaster that operates in Tigray, providing news, event coverage, entertainment, interviews and reporting. The outlet has covered social, political, and governance issues in the region, including local protests, public meetings, and community events and has been a platform hosting critical discussions on political developments in Tigray.
Media observers say the ban against TBS TV illustrate a broader challenging and risky environment for journalists in Tigray. Journalists report ongoing challenges in operating independently, citing arrests, intimidation and risks of personal violence.
In a report published in october 21, 2025, the committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said that three years after the war ended, Tigray remains tense and dangerous for journalists, who have been shot at, detained, raided, and swept up in a local power struggle.
“After two years when reporting from Tigray was almost impossible amid war crimes, famine and a lengthy communications shutdowns, covering local news remains risky and challenging.” CPJ reported
Authorities in Aksum were not immediately available to respond to requests for comment, and calls to officials in the Peace and Security Bureau went unanswered