MAY 29/2007

WHERE ARE THESE POLITICAL PRISONERS?

The regime of Meles Zenawi has "disappeared" dozens of Ethiopians over the past years. The following are among those whose plight we had reported before and who are still among the disappeared. 

• Teshome Beyene: a militant of the EPRP who had been jailed by the former regime for years was detained by the present regime in June 1995 and has disappeared since.
• Journalist Berhanu Ijigu and Getachew Eshetu were arrested late June 1994 and have disappeared since. There were unconfirmed reports that Getachew was taken to Makalle,Tigrai, but he has not been seen since.
• Abayneh Shifferaw and Mot Baynor Nuri were also arrested on mid April and August 1994 respectively and have disappeared since.
• Ms Aberash Berta, Lemma Mekonen and Tesfaye Getachew were arrested in Addis Ababa in 1993 and have disappeared since then.

Where are these prisoners?  The ruling group has refused to give any report on their condition. It has refused even to admit that it ever held these and other such disappeared political prisoners. All human rights organizations should take up the call for a report on all the "disappeared".

SOCEPP