national security which could not otherwise be averted through a subsequent imposition of
sanctions , may issue an order to impound the periodical.
3/ In cases of extreme emergency, where it is not possible to obtain a court order in time to
prevent the harm, the public prosecutor may order the periodical or the book to be
impounded, provided that he shall notify a court of the order within 48 hours and the court
shall determine within 24 hours whether or not the prosecutors order shall be upheld.
4/ the court to which the an order to impound a periodical or a book issued by a public
prosecutor, is submitted may:
a) if it deems that periodical or the book contains unlawful matter that is likely to cause
serious danger, uphold the public prosecutors measure and order that criminal proceedings
be instituted, or application for confiscation of the printed matter be submitted, within two
weeks from the date on which the court pronounced its decision. if the public prosecution
fails to take such action, the court shall revoke the order to seize the periodical or the book
and bar its dissemination
b) if it deems that the content of a periodical or a book is lawful and not likely to cause any
damage ,revoke the impoundment order issued by the public prosecutor and may order the
the release of the publication. Unless otherwise the a stay of execution is issued by an
appellate court the order shall be executed after the lapse of 72 hours.
5/ Once criminal proceedings have been instituted for offences committed through media
periodical or a book or an application is made to the court for a periodical or a book to be
confiscated, the court shall have the power to order the publication to be impounded and its
further dissemination be barred, or revoke an order , that has been issued under sub article
3.
6/ If an offence has been committed by a mass media product and no one is liable under
article 43 of the penal code for the offence, the public prosecutor or the private complainant
may apply to have the publication confiscated instead of instituting criminal proceedings.
The same applies if no summons can be served in Ethiopia on the person liable for the
offence.
7/If the time referred to in sub article (4 ) is insufficient having regard to the nature of the
impounded matter or for any reasonable cause, the court may, on the request of the
prosecution, permit an extension of the period up to two weeks.
8/ An order for the impoundment of a periodical or book shall contain a statement indicating
the offending passage or passages in the publication which occasioned the order and shall