Ethiopia: University Lecturer Released: Firew Bekele
University lecturer Firew Bekele was released on 19 November, after spending three months in detention for his alleged role in writing and publishing a book "the Hijacked Revolution". He was a prisoner of conscience and should have never been persecuted.
Outcome UA: 123/19 Index: AFR 25/1471/2019 Ethiopia Date: 26 November 2019
URGENT ACTION
UNIVERSITY LECTURER RELEASED
University lecturer Firew Bekele was released on 19 November, after spending three
months in detention for his alleged role in writing and publishing a book "the Hijacked
Revolution". He was a prisoner of conscience and should have never been persecuted.
NO FURTHER ACTION IS REQUESTED. MANY THANKS TO ALL WHO SENT APPEALS.
Firew Bekele, a marketing lecturer at Rift Valley University, was released on 19 November. He was arrested
on 17 August and charged under Ethiopia’s draconian Anti-Terrorism Proclamation (ATP).
For the last decade, the ATP has been constantly used to suppress any form of dissent. Firew Bekele was
accused of writing a book that criticizes Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Firew Bekele denied having
written the book. The head of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, visited Firew Bekele in prison and
called for his immediate release following the publication of Amnesty International’s Urgent Action on 20
September.
NAME AND PREFFERED PRONOUN: Firew Bekele (he/his/him)
THIS IS THE SECOND AND FINAL OUTPUT FOR UA AFR 25/1052/2019
LINK TO PREVIOUS UA: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/AFR25/1052/2019/en/