Meselu Abdena, 20, was born in Daraba, Kiramu District, East Wallaga Zone in the Oromia region of Ethiopia. At the time of this incident, she worked with her siblings on the family farm while she awaited the results of her entrance exam to Metu University. OLLAA staff contacted her relatives about her killing.
According to these sources, on August 25, 2023, three unidentified, armed men approached Meselu and her siblings and demanded food, which the family provided. After eating, one of the armed men ordered his companions and Meselu’s siblings to leave; he intended to rape Meselu. Subsequently, the two struggled, and Meselu evaded the armed man, who fell to the ground. As she was making her way out of the house, the transgressor shot Meselu three times, killing her.
International Law
The rights to life, liberty, and personal security are fundamental principles enshrined in several internationally recognized documents, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), The UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR), and the Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE). As a signatory to these important human rights agreements, Ethiopia bears the responsibility of upholding these rights.
As a party to these instruments and the primary duty bearer under international law, the Ethiopian government has the duty to protect the rights of those who live under its jurisdiction. This duty includes not only the obligation for a State to exercise due diligence to prevent violations, but to investigate and respond to such acts when they occur, including by ensuring that the perpetrators are held to account and that victims’ families have access to justice.