OLLAA has received a verified report of the kidnapping of Mr. Daniel Gammada on 7th September,2021. Mr. Daniel is a musician and a resident of Addis Ababa City. According to the Oromia Media Network Report verified by OLLAA, Mr. Gammada was kidnapped on 4th September 2021 at the gate of his workplace by a government security agent as he was preparing to leave his work place. Mr. Daniel has a studio which is located at Askoo in the outskirts of Addis Ababa( finfinne). Mr. Daniel has been a voice for marginalized Oromo Community through his various songs which continued to criticize the Ethiopian Government on extrajudicial killings and illegal detention of individuals mostly in the Oromia Region.
Recently Mr. Daniel started an awareness campaign called “Anis Wollodha ” which is loosely translated as “I am also a Wollo’’ on the forced displacements, killing and destruction of Wollo Oromo’s properties by Amhara militias from their indigenous land. Previously, Mr. Daniel had visited the displaced persons in North Wollo Zone four times according to our informant.
Those who allegedly kidnapped Mr. Daniel visited his workplace many times on the morning of 4th September before coming back in the evening and forcefully kidnapping him. Once he was under arrest, he was forcefully put in a waiting car which sped off to an undisclosed location.
Since his kidnapping, his family have visited various police stations in Addis Ababa, but have yet to trace him or hear of his kidnappers.
Ethiopia National Law on Kidnapping
Kidnapping of individuals is a serious violation of Human rights and it is prohibited under both Ethiopia Constitution and Criminal Code. Article 17 of the Constitution protects individual liberty by prohibiting arbitrary arrest, illegal detention without charges and illegally conviction.
