Ethiopia
10.06.05
Urgent Interventions
Ethiopia: Enforced disappearance of Mr Chernet Taddesse
URGENT APPEAL – THE OBSERVATORY
ETH 001 / 0605 / OBS 040
Enforced disappearance
ETHIOPIA
June 10, 2005
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Ethiopia.
Brief description of the situation:
The Observatory has been informed by the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO) of the disappearance of one of its investigators, Mr. Chernet Taddesse.
According to the information received, Mr. Chernet Taddesse was mandated by EHRCO to report on the human rights violations perpetrated by the police against demonstrators in Addis Ababa. On June 8, 2005, numerous students and activists of opposition political parties protested in the streets following the provisional results of the May 15 legislative elections, which turned out in favour of the incumbents. These activists denounced the massive embezzlement and fraud that compromised the entire electoral process. Such protests took place despite their prohibition for one month immediately following the elections by the outgoing Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi. While Ethiopian authorities publicly authorised the police to take « appropriate measures against those with the intention to disrupt the peace », police opened fire on the crowd in various districts of the capital in order to disperse the demonstrators. Based on the information available, estimates are of at least 26 dead people and one hundred injured (See FIDH press release, dated June 9, 2005).
During the night following these events, Mr. Chernet Taddesse was arrested by the police at his home. His whereabouts have not been yet revealed.
That same night, the house of Mr. Yared Hailemariam, another member of EHRCO, was searched by the Police. Moreover, a few days before, on June 2, 2005, the editors-in-chief of four private newspapers were summoned by the Police. There is evidence of serious threats and intimidations against these persons for having covered previous human rights violations perpetrated by the police in their daily newspapers. On June 7, the licenses of 5 independent reporters, notably from Voice of America and Deutsche Welle, were revoked.
The Observatory is very preoccupied by the disappearance of Mr. Chernet Taddesse, and fears for his physical and psychological integrity. The Observatory recalls article 12.2 of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 9, 1998, which states that “the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually or 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.”
Actions requested:
Please write to the Ethiopian authorities asking them to:
i. guarantee in all circumstances, the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Chernet Taddesse, and of all human rights defenders in Ethiopia;
ii. order an independent and immediate investigation so as to locate Mr. Chernet Taddesse’s whereabouts and make them public;
iii. ensure his immediate release;
iv. comply with the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the Assembly General of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, in particular its article 1, which states that “everyone has the right, individually or in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international level”, its article 6.a which states that “everyone has the right to know, seek, obtain, receive and hold information about all human rights and fundamental freedoms, including having access to information as to how those rights and freedoms are given effect in domestic legislative, judicial or administrative systems” and its article 12.2 above mentioned;
v. more generally, conform with the provisions of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, and with all other international human rights instruments binding Ethiopia.
Addresses:
Geneva-Paris, June 10, 2005
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, a joint FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders, and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
To contact the Observatory, call the Emergency Line:
E-mail: observatoire@iprolink.ch
Tel and Fax FIDH: + 33 1 43 55 25 18 / + 33 1 43 55 18 80
Tel and Fax OMCT: + 41 22 809 49 39 / + 41 22 809 49 29
ETH 001 / 0605 / OBS 040
Enforced disappearance
ETHIOPIA
June 10, 2005
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Ethiopia.
Brief description of the situation:
The Observatory has been informed by the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO) of the disappearance of one of its investigators, Mr. Chernet Taddesse.
According to the information received, Mr. Chernet Taddesse was mandated by EHRCO to report on the human rights violations perpetrated by the police against demonstrators in Addis Ababa. On June 8, 2005, numerous students and activists of opposition political parties protested in the streets following the provisional results of the May 15 legislative elections, which turned out in favour of the incumbents. These activists denounced the massive embezzlement and fraud that compromised the entire electoral process. Such protests took place despite their prohibition for one month immediately following the elections by the outgoing Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi. While Ethiopian authorities publicly authorised the police to take « appropriate measures against those with the intention to disrupt the peace », police opened fire on the crowd in various districts of the capital in order to disperse the demonstrators. Based on the information available, estimates are of at least 26 dead people and one hundred injured (See FIDH press release, dated June 9, 2005).
During the night following these events, Mr. Chernet Taddesse was arrested by the police at his home. His whereabouts have not been yet revealed.
That same night, the house of Mr. Yared Hailemariam, another member of EHRCO, was searched by the Police. Moreover, a few days before, on June 2, 2005, the editors-in-chief of four private newspapers were summoned by the Police. There is evidence of serious threats and intimidations against these persons for having covered previous human rights violations perpetrated by the police in their daily newspapers. On June 7, the licenses of 5 independent reporters, notably from Voice of America and Deutsche Welle, were revoked.
The Observatory is very preoccupied by the disappearance of Mr. Chernet Taddesse, and fears for his physical and psychological integrity. The Observatory recalls article 12.2 of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 9, 1998, which states that “the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually or 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.”
Actions requested:
Please write to the Ethiopian authorities asking them to:
i. guarantee in all circumstances, the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Chernet Taddesse, and of all human rights defenders in Ethiopia;
ii. order an independent and immediate investigation so as to locate Mr. Chernet Taddesse’s whereabouts and make them public;
iii. ensure his immediate release;
iv. comply with the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the Assembly General of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, in particular its article 1, which states that “everyone has the right, individually or in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international level”, its article 6.a which states that “everyone has the right to know, seek, obtain, receive and hold information about all human rights and fundamental freedoms, including having access to information as to how those rights and freedoms are given effect in domestic legislative, judicial or administrative systems” and its article 12.2 above mentioned;
v. more generally, conform with the provisions of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, and with all other international human rights instruments binding Ethiopia.
Addresses:
- Prime Minister, His Excellency Meles Zenawi, Office of the Prime Minister, P O Box 1031, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Fax: + 251 1 552020 / 552030
- Minister of Justice, Mr Harka Haroye, Ministry of Justice, P.O. Box 1370, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Fax: + 251 1 51 77 75 / 520874, Email: ministry-justice@telecom.net.et
Geneva-Paris, June 10, 2005
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, a joint FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders, and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
To contact the Observatory, call the Emergency Line:
E-mail: observatoire@iprolink.ch
Tel and Fax FIDH: + 33 1 43 55 25 18 / + 33 1 43 55 18 80
Tel and Fax OMCT: + 41 22 809 49 39 / + 41 22 809 49 29