Join Nigerian bloggers Blossom Nnodim (@blcompere) and Nwachukwu Egbunike (@feathersproject), along with Global Voices editor Ndesanjo Macha (@ndesanjo) from Tanzania for an Africa-wide tweetathon in support of the nine bloggers and journalists arrested in late April and currently being detained in Ethiopia.

The Global Voices community and our network of friends and allies are demanding the release of these nine men and women, all of whom have worked hard to expand spaces for social and political commentary in Ethiopia through blogging and traditional journalism. We believe their arrest is a violation of their universal right to free expression, as well as their right not to be arbitrarily detained. Learn more about their story and the campaign for their release here.

This Wednesday, beginning at 2pm West Africa Time, we plan to tweet at community leaders, government and diplomatic actors, and mainstream media (using their handles) to increase awareness and draw public attention to the case. We especially encourage fellow bloggers and social media users in Africa to join us — but anyone is welcome!

#FreeZone9Bloggers: A Tweetathon Demanding the Release of Jailed Ethiopian Bloggers

Date: Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Time: 2pm – 5pm West Africa time / 1pm – 4pm GMT (click here to find your time zone)

Hashtag: #FreeZone9Bloggers

Hosts: Blossom Nnodim (@blcompere), Nwachukwu Egbunike (@feathersproject), Ndesanjo Macha (@ndesanjo)

Join us this Wednesday — tweet until your fingers hurt and demand freedom for the Zone 9 bloggers!

Tweets you can use (click here to find more)