Ethiopia
17.05.01
Urgent Interventions
Ethiopia: Arbitrary arrest and detention / Peaceful demonstration
URGENT APPEAL – THE OBSERVATORY
ETH/001/0105/OBS 040
Ethiopia
Arbitrary arrest and detention/ Peaceful Demonstration
May 17th, 2001
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of FIDH and OMCT, requests your urgent international intervention in the following situation in Ethiopia.
Brief description of the situation
The Observatory has been informed by the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO), a member of FIDH and OMCT, that two senior human rights defenders have been arbitrarily arrested and detained in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
According to the information received, on May 8th 2001, Ethiopian government forces arrested Professor Mesfin Wolde Mariam and Dr. Berhanu Nega, two prominent academics and human rights defenders, allegedly for inciting violence and rioting in connection with student demonstrations which occured at Addis Ababa University on April 17th and 18th, 2001.
71 year-old Professor Mariam is a founding member of EHRCO, and has previously served as the NGO's Chairman. He is currently a member of the EHRCO's Executive Committee. Dr. Nega is the President of the non-governmental Ethiopian Economic Association and is a supporter of the EHRCO. They held a meeting at the Auditorium of the National Lottery Administration on April 8th, reportedly concerning human rights issues, which was attended by a large number of students.
The authorities have accused Professor Mariam and Dr. Nega of inciting students to violence and to riot during this meeting. On May 9th they were denied bail by Ethiopia’s High Court. They will remain held at the Central Investigation Bureau’s prison until May 18th, to alllow the police to carry out investigations. They will then appear before the Court again. They have reportedly not been allowed access to legal representation or their families According to the information received, during their first appearance in court, the detainees claim not to have engaged in anti-constitutional activities. Professor Mariam has reportedly begun a hunger strike as a result of his incarceration.
According to the information received, the EHRCO's offices were shut down by the authorities on May 9th. No official explanation was provided for the closure.
The peaceful demonstrations held by students in mid-April, which were held to demand their rights to expression and assembly inside the campus grounds, as well as improvements to university facilities and the removal of the police presence within the university grounds, was met with violent repression by the authorities, which reportedly resulted in over 40 dead and more than 250 injured demonstrators.
The Observatory is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Professor Mariam and Dr. Nega.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Ethiopia urging them to:
1. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Professor Mariam and Dr. Nega;
2. order their immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges or, if such charges exist, bring them before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee their procedural rights at all times;
3. allow the detainees to meet with their relatives and lawyers;
4. Ensure the protection of defenders of human rights in Ethiopia according to Article 12-2 of the Declaration on defenders of human rights which states that : "The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration."
5. Comply with the Declaration on Defenders of Human Rights adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 9 December 1998, in particular, to Article 1 mentioned above, Article 6(a) which states that "each person has the right, individually or in association with others, to promote the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental liberties at national and international levels", Article 6(b) which states that "each person has the right, individually or in association with others, to publish, communicate to others or freely disseminate ideas, information and knowledge on all human rights and fundamental freedoms".
Addresses
Meles Zenawi, Prime Minister, Office of the Prime Minister, PO Box 1031, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Telegrams: Prime Minister Meles, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Fax: + 251 1 552020
Commissioner of Police, Office of the Commissioner of Police, Ministry of Justice, PO Box 21321, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Telegrams: Commissioner of Police, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Fax: + 251 1 550278
Mr Werede-Wold Wolde, Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, PO Box 1370, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Telegrams: Minister of Justice, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Fax: + 251 1 550278
Mr Knife Gebre-Medhin, General manager, Public Security, Office of the Prime Minister, P.O. Box 1031 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Fax: + 251 1 55202
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Paris - Geneva, 17th May 2001
Thank you for informing the Observatory of any action taken, quoting the code of this appeal.
The Observatory, a joint programme of FIDH and OMCT is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and strives to offer them concrete support in their time of need. The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
Tel and fax FIDH : 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 / 01 43 55 18 80
Tel and fax OMCT : + 4122 809 49 39 / 41 22 809 49 29
E-mail: observatoire@iprolink.ch
ETH/001/0105/OBS 040
Ethiopia
Arbitrary arrest and detention/ Peaceful Demonstration
May 17th, 2001
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of FIDH and OMCT, requests your urgent international intervention in the following situation in Ethiopia.
Brief description of the situation
The Observatory has been informed by the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO), a member of FIDH and OMCT, that two senior human rights defenders have been arbitrarily arrested and detained in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
According to the information received, on May 8th 2001, Ethiopian government forces arrested Professor Mesfin Wolde Mariam and Dr. Berhanu Nega, two prominent academics and human rights defenders, allegedly for inciting violence and rioting in connection with student demonstrations which occured at Addis Ababa University on April 17th and 18th, 2001.
71 year-old Professor Mariam is a founding member of EHRCO, and has previously served as the NGO's Chairman. He is currently a member of the EHRCO's Executive Committee. Dr. Nega is the President of the non-governmental Ethiopian Economic Association and is a supporter of the EHRCO. They held a meeting at the Auditorium of the National Lottery Administration on April 8th, reportedly concerning human rights issues, which was attended by a large number of students.
The authorities have accused Professor Mariam and Dr. Nega of inciting students to violence and to riot during this meeting. On May 9th they were denied bail by Ethiopia’s High Court. They will remain held at the Central Investigation Bureau’s prison until May 18th, to alllow the police to carry out investigations. They will then appear before the Court again. They have reportedly not been allowed access to legal representation or their families According to the information received, during their first appearance in court, the detainees claim not to have engaged in anti-constitutional activities. Professor Mariam has reportedly begun a hunger strike as a result of his incarceration.
According to the information received, the EHRCO's offices were shut down by the authorities on May 9th. No official explanation was provided for the closure.
The peaceful demonstrations held by students in mid-April, which were held to demand their rights to expression and assembly inside the campus grounds, as well as improvements to university facilities and the removal of the police presence within the university grounds, was met with violent repression by the authorities, which reportedly resulted in over 40 dead and more than 250 injured demonstrators.
The Observatory is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Professor Mariam and Dr. Nega.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Ethiopia urging them to:
1. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Professor Mariam and Dr. Nega;
2. order their immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges or, if such charges exist, bring them before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee their procedural rights at all times;
3. allow the detainees to meet with their relatives and lawyers;
4. Ensure the protection of defenders of human rights in Ethiopia according to Article 12-2 of the Declaration on defenders of human rights which states that : "The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration."
5. Comply with the Declaration on Defenders of Human Rights adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 9 December 1998, in particular, to Article 1 mentioned above, Article 6(a) which states that "each person has the right, individually or in association with others, to promote the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental liberties at national and international levels", Article 6(b) which states that "each person has the right, individually or in association with others, to publish, communicate to others or freely disseminate ideas, information and knowledge on all human rights and fundamental freedoms".
Addresses
Meles Zenawi, Prime Minister, Office of the Prime Minister, PO Box 1031, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Telegrams: Prime Minister Meles, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Fax: + 251 1 552020
Commissioner of Police, Office of the Commissioner of Police, Ministry of Justice, PO Box 21321, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Telegrams: Commissioner of Police, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Fax: + 251 1 550278
Mr Werede-Wold Wolde, Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, PO Box 1370, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Telegrams: Minister of Justice, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Fax: + 251 1 550278
Mr Knife Gebre-Medhin, General manager, Public Security, Office of the Prime Minister, P.O. Box 1031 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Fax: + 251 1 55202
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Paris - Geneva, 17th May 2001
Thank you for informing the Observatory of any action taken, quoting the code of this appeal.
The Observatory, a joint programme of FIDH and OMCT is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and strives to offer them concrete support in their time of need. The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
Tel and fax FIDH : 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 / 01 43 55 18 80
Tel and fax OMCT : + 4122 809 49 39 / 41 22 809 49 29
E-mail: observatoire@iprolink.ch