Falls Church, Virginia – The Oromo Legacy Leadership and Advocacy Association (OLLAA) is extremely concerned by the news that Jawar Mohammed, Bekele Gerba, and other co-defendants have been forced to hunger strike in protest against the detention of their supporters.
As first reported by the Addis Standard, at least 80 supporters were arrested following a protest in which participants wore yellow and rallied outside of the Federal High Court, Lideta Division of the Anti-Terrorism and Constitutional Court. The supporters, participating in the popular OromoYellowMovement, were arrested and taken to Balcha area Police Station. The following day, January 28th, family members of Jawar Mohammed and the other detainees learned that the prisoners were refusing food to protest the arrest of their supporters.
OLLAA is extremely concerned about the arrest of peaceful protestors and stands with Jawar Mohammed and others in condemnation of these actions. We call upon the international community to pressure the Ethiopian government to immediately release all peaceful protestors wrongfully, and illegally, imprisoned. The arrest of these peaceful protestors serves only to demonstrate how far the Ethiopian government has drifted down the path of authoritarianism.