In February 2025, poet Misrak Terefe, co-founder of Tobiya Poetic Jazz, was briefly detained in Addis Ababa. While released after three days, the incident highlighted ongoing challenges for Ethiopia’s independent arts scene. Observers and supporters, including diaspora artists and human rights advocates, framed the arrest as emblematic of broader pressures, though local sources confirm only the detention itself and her continued work with Tobiya Poetic Jaz