Urge Ethiopian Govt for immediate & unconditional release of all Ethiopian Prisoners of Conscience!
- Target:
- Premier Hailemariam Dessalegn, Office of the Prime Minister, PO Box 1031, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Region:
- Ethiopia
- Website:
- www.amnesty.org
Lelise Wodajo, is a mother of three and former employee of Ethiopian TV (ETV), was arrested on November 14, 2008 for allegedly having contacts with the outlawed Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) and was sentenced to 10 years jail term without parole on March 31, 2010. Shifferaw Inesarmu, another ex ETV reporter who was jailed with Wodajo's husband Dhabassa Wakijira in late April 2004,with the same charges as Wodajo and Wakijira, is missing since he was re-arrested on 11th of January 2005, after being released and re-arrested several times.
The Ethiopian Federal High Court on January 19, 2012, convicted journalists Woubshet Taye of the now defunct weekly newspaper Awramba Times, Reeyot Alemu of the weekly newspaper Feteh, and Elias Kifle, editor of the online Ethiopian Review, who was tried in absentia. An opposition leader, Zerihun Gebre-Egziabher Tadesse of the Ethiopian National Democratic Party, and Hirut Kifle Woldeyesus were also convicted.
Your government reportedly have arrested since March 2011, at least 108 opposition party members and six journalists, among them the Swedish journalists Martin Schibbye & Johan Persson, for alleged involvement with various decreed 'terrorist' groups.
Your Excellency,
May I ask Your Excellency to consider my serious worries in the following case.
I am deeply saddened & concerned to learn that The Ethiopian Federal High Court today (January 19, 2012) convicted journalists Woubshet Taye Abebe of the now defunct weekly newspaper Awramba Times, Reeyot Alemu Gobebo of the weekly newspaper Feteh, and Elias Kifle, editor of the online Ethiopian Review, who was tried in absentia. An opposition leader, Zerihun Gebre-Egziabher Tadesse of the Ethiopian National Democratic Party, and Hirut Kifle Woldeyesus were also convicted. Since March 2011, Your government reportedly have arrested, at least 108 opposition party members and six journalists for alleged involvement with various proscribed 'terrorist' groups.
I believe that all the journalists and opposition members were jailed primarily because of their legitimate and peaceful criticism of the government, and that the prolonged series of arrests and prosecutions shows systematic use of the judiciary and the guise of anti-terrorism by Your government to muzzle citizens who dare to criticize or question its actions and policies.
Consequently, I urge Your Excellency for immediate and unconditional release of all Ethiopian journalists as well as Ethiopia's opposition leaders & members who've been arrested for allegedly involving with various decreed 'terrorist' groups.
Lastly, I also urge that any of the current convictions of opposition members and journalists where the defendants are being imprisoned solely on account of their peaceful exercise of their rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly be repealed immediately and that the charges be dismissed.
Respectfully yours,
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The Urge Ethiopian Govt for immediate & unconditional release of all Ethiopian Prisoners of Conscience! petition to Premier Hailemariam Dessalegn, Office of the Prime Minister, PO Box 1031, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia was written by Theodros Arega and is in the category Human Rights at GoPetition.