OLLAA’s staff recently spoke with a relative of Milki Abdisa (name changed in order to protect the victim) regarding his arbitrary arrest and detention in the North Shewa zone of Oromia.
Milki Abdisa was born in Daro Tatesa, North Shewa Oromia. He is a married father of six children: four daughters and two sons. Milki works as a farmer and reports that his family depends on him for their livelihood.
According to our source, in September 2022, Milki was subjected to arbitrary detention and suffered greatly while imprisoned. At that time, Ethiopian government forces unlawfully arrested Milki in Kuyu district of North Shewa, and detained him at the local police station. There, the police informed him that he was placed under arrest because they suspected his sons were members of the OLA.
Our source reports that Milki Abdisa was detained for a total of five months, during which time he was subjected to poor detention conditions, including overcrowding, and a shortage of nutrition and water services. Toward the end of his detention, Milki was taken to the Ambo police station, where he remained for one month. The police officers in Ambo investigated his case and called for him to be released as soon as he reached Kuyu prison facility. However, the police officers in Kuyu detained him for an additional week. There, they subjected him to interrogation and told him they would not release him unless he forced his sons to leave the OLA. Throughout the course of his detention, he was never brought before a court of law, nor were his family or lawyer allowed to visit him. He was finally released from detention in February 2023.
International Law
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 also relevant to the treatment of detained individuals, including, but not limited to:
- The right of prisoners to communicate with their family at regular interviews, 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)