Gamachis Imiru Kalbessa was born in Nakamte city, East Wallaga zone of Oromia. Currently he lives in Mattu Town Illubabor zone. Gamachis is a husband and father of one daughter.
OLLAA staff recently spoke with Gamachis directly about unlawful and unwarranted arrests he was subjected to between 2018 and 2022. He has been arrested five times since the 2018 reform. In 2018, governmental security forces arrested Gamachis for the first time and held him in Mattu town prison facilities, where he remained for four months. In 2019, Gamachis was again arrested and held in prison for three months without any criminal charges brought against him. In April 2020, government security forces detained Gamachis for a third time in Mattu Police custody for five months. In 2021, they arrested him for a fourth time at the same place.
After two months of detention in Mattu police custody, Gamachis was transferred to a federal military training camp called Awash Malkasa. He stayed there, along with 1,080 other detainees, for one month and two weeks. The conditions in the camp were difficult. Water was scarce–so much so that detainees were denied showers for the duration of their detainment. Gamachis had been suffering from Hepatitis B, which he reportedly contracted while in the prison. Gamachis did not receive medication for his condition while at the camp. It was not until his release that he was able to seek treatment. In 2022, Gammachis was arrested for a fifth time in Mattu. This time, security forces came to his home. There, they arrested him, tied his hands behind his back, and searched his home without any court warrant. He was detained in a containment cell located in Mattu town for five months.
Each time Gamachis was arrested, the government security forces accused him of supporting OLA. Gamichis claims he has no link or connection with OLA. At no point during any of Gamachis’ arrests or detainments was he presented before a court of law. His family, in particular his wife, was threatened and intimidated by security forces. Due to pressure from the government security forces, the owner of the house Gamachis’ family had been renting terminated their lease contract. Gamachis’ wife gave birth during the time Gamachis was in prison, and he was prevented from being present, witnessing the birth of his child, or obtaining help for his wife and newborn.
International Laws
International law, including the ICCPR, ACHPR, and the Ethiopian constitution, protects citizens from arbitrary arrests and detentions, which are arrests and detentions that are not in accordance with the procedures established by law. According to these legal instruments, victims of unlawful detentions are “guaranteed access to effective remedies and reparations, capable of providing restitution, compensation, rehabilitation, satisfaction and guarantees of non-repetition.” Detained individuals also have certain rights, including access to their family and legal council, which is also protected in the Ethiopian constitution. Those who have been arrested or detained must be brought promptly before a judge or court so the lawfulness of their arrest or detention can be ruled upon.
Finally, the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Nelson Mandela Rules) also lay out several principles that are relevant to the treatment of detained individuals, including, but not limited to:
- The right of prisoners to communicate with their family at regular intervals, including by receiving visits from their family (Rule 58);
- The opportunity to consult with legal counsel (Rule 61);
- The provision of adequate food and drinking water (Rule 22)