Abdulwab Hassan is a 29-year-old resident of East Hararghe in the district of Cinaksan within the Oromia region. He is a father of three children. Eight years ago, he graduated from Alage ATVET College with a veterinary degree and returned to the community in which he had been educated and served. To provide essential services to the community, he chose to dedicate his skills and knowledge to working as a veterinarian.
In December 2021, Abdulawab was taken away from his home by government security forces under the pretense that he was wanted at the police station. This situation resulted in his detention at the Cinaksan District Police Station for a duration of two months. During that time, he was in his third year of school, and the court granted him bail so he could resume his studies. But he was not able to continue his academic journey as he had hoped. After he returned home, the police once again intervened and kidnapped him. This time, they took him to another location in Harar, far from his hometown. He was detained for an unspecified period of time and, along with six other individuals, was then transferred to the Kazira police station in Dirre Dhawa. More than four months passed without Abdulawab being formally charged with any crime, and he wondered when, or if, he would ever receive a fair trial.
Finally, he was transferred once again to a prison center located in Dirre Dhawa, leaving him in a state of uncertainty and apprehension. He was told by the police that there was evidence that he had a relationship with the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA). Following Abdulawab’s detention was a period of two years in which no justice or sentence was delivered. According to a family member who spoke to OLLAA, his bank account has been blocked since the day he was arrested, leaving him and his family in a difficult financial situation.
International Law
International law protects citizens from arbitrary arrests and detentions and guarantees certain rights to those who have been detained, including to the due process of law.State parties are required to protect their citizens from violations of human rights, in accordance with a number of international human rights treaties to which Ethiopia is a party. These include the UDHR, ICCPR, CAT, and ACHPR. The right to liberty protects innocent civilians from being arbitrarily detained, tortured, or subjected to other cruel treatment. Thus, the action taken by Ethiopian security forces on Abdulawab Hasan goes against international law. Therefore, the Ethiopian government must take responsibility as a state party so that Abdulawab and other Oromos who have experienced similar treatment can have hope that those who violated their rights will be brought to justice.