Sa’ad Awel: The Singer Languishing in Prison

Sa’ad Awel, a talented singer hailing from the Bate district in the Wollo special zone of Oromia, has endured immense hardships due to his unjust imprisonment and suffering in Kamise for nearly two years. Sa’ad, a devoted husband and father of two, dedicated his life to his passion for music, using his songs to express the rich cultural heritage of Wollo, as well as voicing political and social critiques.

In 2022, following the withdrawal of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) from Wollo, government security forces arbitrarily detained Sa’ad in Bate town. After enduring a month and fifteen days there, he was transferred to the oppressive confines of Kamise prison. Sa’ad languished in prison for about seven months before his case was brought to court. 

During this time, he suffered from various forms of mistreatment, including physical abuse. Despite his status as a civilian who had not participated in any operations, the security forces accused him of being an OLA member supporting OLA and TPLF during the Wollo operation. 

The court proceedings were marred by unjustifiably long adjournment times, needlessly prolonging Sa’ad’s case. The prison conditions are dire, with over 700 individuals, including Sa’ad, crammed into Kamise prison, where a single room houses more than 90 detainees.

Furthermore, the impact of Sa’ad’s unjust imprisonment extends to his family. His brother was forced to flee the town, while Sa’ad’s wife and her six children were detained, with their brother’s house serving as a makeshift prison center for nearly two weeks. 

Consequently, Sa’ad’s wife and children suffer greatly due to his unlawful detention. This distressing situation is not unique, as the entire Wollo Oromo community faces existential threats from extremist armed groups and Amhara Forces. Oromo singers and artists, such as Ebisa Adunya, Hacalu Hundesa, Dadhi Galan, Daraje Daggafa, and Usmayo Musa, have historically fallen victim to rights abuses, their lives cut short as a result of the content of their songs under successive Ethiopian regimes.

International Law

Ethiopia, as a signatory to international human rights instruments such as the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the UN Convention against Torture (CAT), the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR), the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE), is committed to safeguarding individuals’ rights and liberty from deprivation. However, in the case of Sa’ad and his fellow inmates, their right to liberty and the dignified handling of corpses have been egregiously violated. Sa’ad has endured beatings, while his rights to a speedy trial have been disregarded. The prison conditions have fallen far below international standards.