Rameto Gobena, 32, was born and raised in West Arsi Zone, Kokosa District. He is known as a hardworking pharmacist working in Lajo Village. It was for this very reputation that he was unjustly arrested.
Ethiopian security forces have falsely accused him of providing medical treatment supplies to the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA). According to the security forces, in summer 2022, Rameto was supplying the OLA groups with medical treatment materials. For this reason, they arrested him on 29th December 2022 – without a warrant.
A close family member who spoke with OLLAA claims that Rameto did not provide the OLA any medical treatment. However, even if he had, it would have been well within his professional remit as it is the responsibility of healthcare workers to treat all people equally.
The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition (WHO, 2017). Therefore, Rameto shouldn’t have to endure torture for carrying out his official duties.
While Rameto was incarcerated, his wife gave birth. He has been unable to see the child; thus, his wife has been left to raise their daughter by herself. Since Rameto was the sole breadwinner, his wife has been compelled to live with her family. Rameto’s family remains separated.
International Law
Ethiopia is a signatory to several international human rights documents, such as the UDHR, ICCPR, and ACHPR, which uphold an individual’s fundamental rights to liberty, freedom from arbitrary detention, and the right to be treated with dignity while in custody. However, Rameto was imprisoned, accused only of lawfully doing his job. This is blatantly against international human rights conventions as well as the Ethiopian Constitution.
OLLAA calls on the Ethiopian government to protect the human dignity of its detainees and release Rameto.