OLLAA’s staff recently spoke with a family member of Sida Talila Badhadha, who was born and lives in Liban Cuqala district, East Shewa zone, Oromia, regarding his multiple imprisonments and the ill-treatment he experienced while detained. Sida, 75 years old, is a farmer, husband, and father to ten children–six sons and four daughters.
According to our source, during the EPRDF regime, Sida was falsely accused of organizing a coup and sentenced to 18 years of imprisonment. He was pardoned and released in 2018, along with many other political prisoners.
Unfortunately, Sida continued to face persecution and arrests by the Ethiopian government following the rise of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to power in 2018. In 2019, our source reports that Sida was arrested and beaten by government security forces, who detained in Adulala prison for about six months. He was finally released after paying 50,000 Ethiopian Birr in bail. The government security forces re-arrested him two weeks later. This time, he was detained for five months before being ordered released on bail. One month after his release, Sida was again detained and taken to Sanqale military training camp, near Ambo town. He was held there for one month and two weeks.
During his final detention, his family member reports that government security forces went to his place of residence, where they burned down four of his houses and most of his crops, which were worth an estimated 5,000,000 Ethiopian birr.
According to our source, the reason why Sida faced targeting–including three arrests and the destruction of his property–was because his sons are members of the OLA. On one occasion, the security forces intimidated and beat Sida, saying, “Bring your son, who is a member of OLA.” Currently, Sida is in poor health due to the beatings and ill-treatment he experienced throughout his time detained.
International Law
It is a recognized norm under international law that no individual may be held accountable for a violation of a law for which they lack individual criminal responsibility. This norm is also recognized under Ethiopia’s criminal code. International human rights law protects citizens from arbitrary arrest and detentions, which are arrests and detentions that are not in accordance with the procedures established by law. Finally, the right to property is an internationally recognized right under multiple human rights treaties, including the ICCPR, ICSECR, and ACHPR.