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.
Ethiopia: The Justice System Becoming a Political Tool in Ethiopia
HRLHA - Calls for Reversal of Racially and Politically Motivated Sentences
August 15, 2013
Press Release
The Federal High Court of Ethiopia sentenced 21 Oromo Nationals (most of whom are university students)
to as much as 2-8 years in prison on 7th August, 2013. The report HRLHA received indicates that all of them have
spent about three years pending trials on alleged charges of collaborating with the opposition organization of
Oromo Liberation Front with the intention of committing terrorist crimes. According to information obtained by
HRLHA through its correspondents, most of the defendants were very young Oromo students picked up at
different times from different universities and colleges in the regional state of Oromia and other parts of the
country.
The HRLHA has learnt that most of the 21 Oromo defendants did not even have acquaintance of each
other, let alone collectively committing terrorist crimes, as they were brought together from different universities
in the country and met each other in the jail. According to some legal experts, the fact that the charges were mere
fabrications aimed at imposing punishments intended for political intimidations has made it difficult for the
accused to defend themselves. However, by blatantly acting as a political tool of the ruling party, the court handed
down the guilty verdict on the Oromo nationals without taking into consideration some evidences that the
defendants attempted to present to defend themselves against the charges. There are more concerns that
particularly five of the twenty one defendants who were charged with additional and separate article (criminal
code, article 241, “Attack on the Political or Territorial Integrity of the State”,
http://www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/docs/ELECTRONIC/70993/75092/F1429731028/ETH70993.pdf) from the sixteen
others might face very harsh punishments.
Although this verdict did not come as a surprise, as it is not the first of its kind, it has enormously added to
the accumulation of partiality, injustice and unfairness of the justice system, raising further concerns among the
human rights groups, and defenders of justice and equality including the HRLHA.
The twenty one alleged convicts are
No Name Year of
sentence
University Sex
1 Dachassa Wirtu Mosisa 8 Haromaya M
2 Ebissa Ratessa 8 Ambo M
3 Getu Saketa Roro 8 Finfine (Addis Ababa) M
4 Diribsa Damte Jote 8 Finfine(Addis Ababa) MHRLHA 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.
5 Adamu Shiferra 8 Finfine (Addis Ababa) M
6 Sena Merera 3 Arba Minch M
7 Silashi Sori 3 Haromaya M
8 Abdisa Gudeta 3 1/4 Mada Walabu M
9 Miressa H/Yesus 3 Finfine (College student) M
10 Abdi Dereje 4 Wallega M
11 Deme Zerhun 4 Finfine (College Student) M
12 Alemayehu Regassa 3 Hawasa M
13 Shafi Said 3 Jimma M
14 Dagim Bekele 3 Adama M
13 Lami Jirata 4 Teacher (Finfine) M
14 Birhanu Imiru 4 Teacher(Kotobe Coolege) M
15 Alemu Teshome Jirata 3 Journalist (Finfine) M
16 Shashe Said 3 _ F
17 Getachew Abera 3 Wallaga (Shambu) M
18 Dereje Getu 3 - M
19 Jirenya Dessaleg n 3 _ M
20 Lemi Wegga 4 Teacher M
21 Alemu Teshome 3 _ M
The Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa calls up on the Ethiopian Government to reverse this unfair verdict
and unconditionally release the prisoners. It also calls up on all local, regional, and international activists of justice
and human rights defenders to jointly raise their voices against such racial partialities and injustices so that the
Ethiopian Government refrain from inappropriately using the justice system as a weapon of punishment and
intimidation for political gains
Mailed To:
Dachassa Wirtu Diribsa Damte Sena MereraHRLHA 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.
• Office of Prime Minister of Ethiopia
P.O.Box 1031 , Addis Ababa
Telephone - +251 155 20 44; +251 111 32 41
Fax - +251 155 20 30 , +251 1552020
 Office of Oromiya National Regional State President Office
Telephone - 0115510455
• Office of the Ministry of Justice of Ethiopia
PO Box 1370, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Fax: +251 11 5517775; +251 11 5520874 Email: ministryjustice@telecom.net.et
 UNESCO Headquarters Paris.
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 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)- Africa Department
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General phone:
+33 (0)1 45 68 10 00
Website:
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/africa-department/
 UNESCO AFRICA RIGIONAL OFFICE
MR.JOSEPH NGU
Director
 UNESCO Office in Abuja
Mail: j.ngu(at)unesco.org
Tel: +251 11 5445284
Fax: +251 11 5514936
 Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights