Mame G: Subjected to Several Detentions

Mame G (name changed for security reasons) was born and raised in East Arsi Zone of Oromia, Merti Woreda. He is a civil servant and a father of three. He is renowned for speaking out for and defending the rights of the Oromo people, regardless of who is at fault—individuals, government officials, or the actions the government in power takes. Due to his actions, he was continuously arbitrarily detained both under the TPLF rule and under the current administration. He frequently faces threats and is singled out by the government’s security forces. 

He explained to OLLAA’s staff that his role in coordinating the local youths’ (Qeerroo’s) participation in a nonviolent protest against the oppressive rule of the ruling party during the TPLF regime led to his incarceration. Though the regime eventually freed him, they continued to lock him up whenever a problem arose, regardless of whether he was involved or not. After the TPLF regime was overthrown in 2018, the current administration, led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, came into office. His early tenure in office gave rise to optimism that the nation had at last found a leader who would guide it towards a genuine democratic government and have widespread support both at home and abroad. However, after the honeymoon phase ended, the government began to pursue a course of action that ran against the interests of the Oromo people, whose support for the current administration was a major factor in its success. Meanwhile, a demonstration broke out across Oromia in response to the arbitrary murder of popular Oromo musician Hachalu Hundessa and the unjustified detention of Oromo leaders like Jawar Mohammed and his comrades. 

The protest also erupted in the East Arsi Zone. Like others, Mame was enraged by the government’s actions and joined the protest. The government jailed him without an arrest warrant for an extended period of time. They did not submit a case to the court so he could not defend himself. He was imprisoned in a number of locations, including the well-known military camp Tolay, where he was detained for more than two months. Tolay is known as a location in which prisoners endure horrible forms of torture, and Mame was subjected to severe abuse while held there.

During the time he spent in prison, his family struggled significantly without his support. Though Mame has once again been freed, he still lives under threat of future arrests.

Arbitrary arrests of this nature are widespread throughout Ethiopia. The security forces arbitrarily detain whoever they want whenever needed, whether for political or personal reasons. They do not present cases to the court so that individuals may argue against the human rights violations they encounter. No one knows what will happen if they are arrested, which has plunged the society into a state of terror and misery.               

International Law

The right to be free from arbitrary arrest, freedom of expression and presumption of innocence are enshrined in fundamental human rights instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) including the FDRE Constitution. Therefore, the Ethiopian government must protect its citizens’ right to freedom of expression while safeguarding them from being arbitrarily detained as a signatory state to the aforementioned human rights instruments. It is also obligated to uphold these rights under its own constitution.