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Ethiopia: Worrisome Situations in Detention Centres



HRLHA – Urgent Action

May 24, 2014

For Immediate Release



While kidnappings and/or extra-judicial arrests and detentions have continued particularly around academic institutions in different parts of the regional state of Oromia in Ethiopia, disturbing and worrisome reports are coming out of detention centres where the Oromo students arrested in the past two weeks are being held.

According to HRLHA correspondents in Nakamte, Wollega Province in western Oromia, there have been cases of tortures of varying levels as well as detainees being taken away in the middle of the night to unknown destinations for unknown reasons. Fifty (50) detainees, including thirteen females, were taken away at one time alone; and their whereabouts were not known. In relation to tortures, the reports indicate that some of the detainees are isolated from others and held in separate rooms handcuffed and legs tied together with their hands on the their backs. There were ten students subjected to this particular situation, among whom were Std. Tesfaye Tuffa (male) and Std. Bontu Hailu (female). Although not confirmed at this point, there were also eight students who were screened out in order to be transferred to a detention or investigation office at the federal level; and these include:

1. Chalaa Fekaduu Gashe (high school student),

2. Chalaa Fekaduu Raajoo (high school student),

3. Nimoonaa Kebede (Wollega University 5th year law student),

4. Moi Bon Misganuu (Wollega University, student),

5. Abdii Gaddisaa (high school student),

6. Abel Dagim (high school student),

7. Qalbessa Getachew (high school student),

8. Mulgeta Gemechu (high school student),

9. Edosa Namara Dheressa, Civil Engineering, Wallaga University

In the meantime, reports indicate that kidnappings and/or extra-judicial arrests and detentions have continued in different parts of the regional state of Oromia, particularly in Hararge/Haromaya, West Showa, and West Wollega, all in relation to the protests that have been going on in the Regional State of Oromia in opposition to the newly introduced master plan to expand the Capital City of Addis 2




Ababa/Finfinne in all directions by displacing the local Oromo residents. The following are among the hundreds of the most recent cases of kidnappings, arrests and detentions:

1) Edosa Namara Deressa - Wollega University (Civil Engineering)

2) Walabuma Dabale -Adama University, West Showa,

3) Ebisa Dale -Adama University

4) Ganamo Kurke -Adama University

5) Liban Taressa - Adama University

6) Adam Godana -Adama University

7) Bodana (last name not obtained) - Adama University

Name of other detainees arrested May 15-17, 2014, Partial Detainees in Wallagga, May 16, 2014
N0	Name		Gender		Occupation		Place /Town
1	Robel Qanno		M		Worker		Mandii
2	Gammachis Hambisaa		M		Employee		Mandii,
3		Bokaa Hundeessaa		M		Mandii
4		Bacaa Kebede		M		Mandi
5	Fiqiru Wadajo		M		Businessman		Mandi
6	Eyob Kumara		M		Businessman		Mandi
7	Raji Abbaya		M		10		Mandi
8	Dabaloo Tolosaa		M		10		Mandi
9	Surra Chali		M		12		Mandi
10		Ebisaa Saqqata		12		Mandi
Haromaya University
1	Nimona Chali		M		Oromo language		Haromaya
2	Magarsaa Baqqalaa		M		Oromo language		Haromaya
3	Firayad		M		Teacher		Haromaya
4		Girmaa		M		Haromaya
West Shawa, Ambo
1		Getachew Qajela		M		Ambo Town

HRLHA is a non-political organization (with the UN Economic and Social Council – (ECOSOC) Consultative Status) which attempts

to challenge abuses of human rights of the people of various nations and nationalities in the Horn of Africa.

The UN Human Rights Council adopted the

outcome of the UPR of Ethiopia

__________________________________________________

Statement from HRLHA

The UN Human Rights Council adopted the outcome of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of

Ethiopia on September 19, 2014. On that date, Ethiopia was given 252 recommendations by the UN

Human Rights Council member States1 to improve human rights infringements in the country, based on

the general human rights situation assessment made to Ethiopia on May 2014 at UPR.

The Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa welcomes the adoption of the outcome of the

UPR on Ethiopia and appreciates the majority of the UN Human Rights Council member states’

recognition that one of their members, Ethiopia, has committed gross human rights abuses in its own

country contrary to its responsibility to protect and promote human rights globally. Most of the

Recommendations the Ethiopian Government received on September 19, 2014 were similar to the 2009

recommendations that were given to the same country during the first round of UPR human rights

situation assessment in Ethiopia2. This proves that the human rights situation in Ethiopia continues to

deteriorate.

The Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa also welcomes the Ethiopian government for its

courage of admitting its wrongdoings and acknowledged most of the recommendations and promise to

work further for their improvements. The HRLHA looks forward the Government of Ethiopia to shows its

commitment to fulfil its promises, and not to put them aside until the next UPR comes in four years

(2019)

However, the government of Ethiopia failed again to accept the recommendations not to use the

anti-terrorism proclamation it adopted in 2009 to suppress fundamental freedoms of expression, assembly

1 UPR Info’s 2RP (responses to recommendations), List of all recommendations made to Ethiopia and its

responses to them, http://www.upr-info.org/en/review/Ethiopia/Session-19---April-2014/UPRInfo%

E2%80%99s-2RP-%28responses-to-recommendations%29#top

2UPR Info’s 2RP (responses to recommendations),List of all recommendations made to Ethiopia and its

responses, http://www.upr-info.org/en/review/Ethiopia/Session-06---November-2009/UPR-Info%E2%80%99s-2RP-

%28responses-to-recommendations%29#top

HRLHA is a non-political organization (with the UN Economic and Social Council – (ECOSOC) Consultative Status) which attempts

to challenge abuses of human rights of the people of various nations and nationalities in the Horn of Africa.

and demonstrations. The country also rejected the recommendation of the member states to permit a

special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association to travel to Ethiopia

to advise the Government.

Today, thousands of people are languishing in prison because they formed their own political

organizations or supported different political groups other than EPRDF. Thousands were indiscriminately

brutalized in Oromia, Ogadenia, Gambela, Benshangul and other regions because they demanded their

fundamental rights to peaceful assembly, demonstration and expression. These and other human rights

atrocities in Ethiopia were reported by national and international human rights organizations, and

international mass media, including foreign governments and NGOs. The Government of Ethiopia has

repeatedly denied all these credible reports and continued with its systematic ethnic cleansing.

The HRLHA appreciates the UN Human Rights Council members who have provided valuable

recommendations that have exposed the atrocity of the Ethiopian Government against defenceless

civilians and the HRLHA urges them to put pressure on the government of Ethiopia to accept those

recommendations it has rejected and put them into practice.

Finally, the HRLHA strongly supports the recommendations made by UN Human Rights Council

member states and urges the Ethiopian Government to reverse its rejection of some recommendations,

including:

 Ratifying the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC),

 Ratifying the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced

Disappearance, OPCAT,

 Permitting the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association to

travel to Ethiopia to advise the Government;

 Improving conditions in detention facilities by training personnel to investigate and prosecute all

alleged cases of torture, and ratify OPCAT,

 Repealing the Charities and Societies Proclamation in order to promote the development of an

independent civil society “Allowing Ethiopia’s population to operate freely”

 Removing vague provisions in the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation that can be used to criminalize the

exercise of the right to freedom of expression and association and ensure that criminal prosecutions

do not limit the freedom of expression of civil society, opposition politicians and independent media ;

and use this opportunity to improve its human rights record.