Document - Ethiopia: Further information on Fear of Torture / Ill-treatment/ harsh prison conditions/ prisoner of conscience: Eskinder Negga (m)

PUBLIC AI Index: AFR 25/029/2007
3 December 2007

Further Information on UA 214/06 (UA 214/06, AFR 25/022/2006, 7 August 2006) Fear of Torture / Ill-treatment/ harsh prison conditions/ prisoner of conscience

ETHIOPIA Eskinder Negga (m), journalist

Eskinder Negga, the former editor of Satenaw newspaper, was released from Kaliti prison in April 2007.

Eskinder Negga was arrested along with other journalists and opposition members on 28 November 2005, following demonstrations against alleged fraud in the parliamentary elections in May 2005. He was finally charged with "outrages against the Constitution", which carries the death penalty. However, he was released after judges stated that he had no case to answer.

Eskinder Negga’s partner, Serkalem Fasil, was also arrested and detained at Kaliti prison. She was pregnant at the time of her arrest and gave birth to a baby boy in late June 2005. Eskinder Negga was not allowed to visit his wife or son. Serkalem Fasil was released from prison at the same time as her husband.

For further information about Serkalem Fasil and Eskinder Negga, go to http://web.amnesty.org/wire/December2007/Ethiopia.

Thank you to all those who worked on this UA. No further action is required.********



Amnesty International, International Secretariat, 1 Easton Street, WC1X 0DW, London, United Kingdom