Ethiopia: University lecturer must be released: Firew Bekele
On 17 August, University lecturer Firew Bekele was arrested 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 is accused of writing a book that criticizes Ehiopia’s new Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Firew Bekele denies having written the book. He is a prisoner of conscience that should be immediately and unconditionally released.
First UA: 123/19 Index: AFR 25/1052/2019 Ethiopia Date: 20 September 2019
URGENT ACTION
UNIVERSITY LECTURER MUST BE RELEASED
On 17 August, University lecturer Firew Bekele was arrested 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 is accused of writing a book that criticizes Ehiopia’s new Prime
Minister Abiy Ahmed. Firew Bekele denies having written the book. He is a prisoner of conscience that
should be immediately and unconditionally released.
TAKE ACTION: WRITE AN APPEAL IN YOUR OWN WORDS OR USE THIS MODEL LETTER
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed
PO Box 1031
Lorenzo Te’azaz Road
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Email: info@pmo.gov.et
Twitter: @PMEthiopia
Dear Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed,
Firew Bekele, a Marketing lecturer at Rift Valley University, was arrested by Federal police on 17 August 2019
outside his home. Before searching his home, the police read him a court order that stated he was suspected of
writing and publishing a book entitled “Yetetlefe Tigil” (the Hijacked Struggle), which criticises politicians,
security officials, business people and other individuals for having allegedly hijacked Ethiopia’s current political
transition. Amnesty International has found nothing in the book that refers to violence or incites it in any way.
Firew Bekele agreed to having assisted the author with the book’s publication, but he vehemently denies having
written the book. The book has been banned from stores, but it continues to be privately distributed around the
country. During the search, the police found Firew Bekele was in possession of a copy of the book.
Following his arrest, Firew Bekele was first brought before the first instance court on 20 August and charged
with incitement to terrorism under the current Anti-Terrorism Proclamation (ATP). His hearing was twice
postponed and was then remanded to police custody for 28 days on 27 August, as instructed under the ATP.
Firew Bekele’s access to his lawyer has been hindered under ATP regulations, and his wife, parents and siblings
were all denied access as he was being charged with terrorism. His lawyer has told Amnesty that he is being
interrogated to get him to confess to have authored the book or to share names of the author.
In light of the above I urge you to:
- Immediately and unconditionally release Firew Bekele, as he has been detained solely for the peaceful
exercise of his human rights;
- Ensure that until his release, Firew Bekele has unhindered access to his family and lawyer and that he is
protected from torture and other ill-treatment;
- Cease using the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation until it is revised in line with international human rights law
and standards.
Yours sincerely,
First UA: 123/19 Index: AFR 25/1052/2019 Ethiopia Date: 20 September 2019
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
In 2016, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced reforms to address structural and systematic human rights issues and
released thousands of prisoners who were serving sentences on politically motivated charges. Spurred by systemic human
rights repression and economic and political marginalization, ethnic Amhara and Oromo youth in Ethiopia took to the streets
in vast number and sustained manner until 2018. Many of the protestors were charged under the under the draconian Anti-
Terrorism Proclamation (ATP).
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration initiated an important reform agenda that has the potential to improve the
Ethiopian human rights situation if effectively implemented. However, the current political climate in Ethiopia is a tense one,
as priorities and loyalties are divided among different factions within the government coalition. The Prime Minister’s party is
the Oromo Democratic Party, and many Ethiopians saw the Prime Minister’s appointment to the position as significant for
the Oromo ethnic group as he is the first Oromo leader for Ethiopia in modern history. While there have been important
steps taken towards reforming draconian legislation that was used for decades to supress criticism and dissent, the ATP
has yet to be reformed and the older version of the ATP continues to be used to charge individuals in a wide variety of
contexts, many of whom are vocal dissenters of the current federal government.
The book, Yetetlefe Tigil (the Hijacked Struggle), discusses the growing rift between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the
rest of his party, the Oromo Democratic Party, and accuses the Prime Minister of not only hijacking the Oromo struggle but
neglecting the demands of the Oromo protestors. Amnesty International has found nothing in the book that refers to violence
or incites it in any way.
PREFERRED LANGUAGE TO ADDRESS TARGET: English.
You can also write in your own language.
PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: 1 November 2019
Please check with the Amnesty office in your country if you wish to send appeals after the deadline.
NAME AND PREFFERED PRONOUN: Firew Bekele (he/him)