OLLAA’s staff spoke with Waktola D. (full name withheld at the victim’s request) regarding his experiences while detained by Ethiopian security forces in Burayu city, Oromia Special zone.
Waktola D. was born in Dugda Dawa district, West Guji, Oromia. He is a diploma holder, a husband, and a father of two.
According to Waktola, on December 17, 2021, he was arbitrarily arrested by Ethiopian security forces who accused him of supporting the OLA. They brought him to a police detention center located in Burayu city, Oromia. Waktola was detained for four months without ever being brought before a court of law. Waktola reports that he faced torture and inhuman treatment at the detention center, leaving him with a broken hand and injuries to his head and leg. He notes that his family was denied the right to visit him in the prison and that security forces threatened his family, telling them that they were going to kill him.
It was only after Waktola’s family filed a habeas corpus motion that he was brought before a judge, who ordered his release. Unfortunately, Waktola’s challenges did not end there. Despite the court ordering his release, the Commander of the Ethiopian security forces claimed that a court order could not bind him. He refused to obey the order for six months, leaving Waktola to continue to suffer in prison. Waktola reports that he was kept in a small–35 m2–room with more than 52 other Oromos.
After some time, the court issued another order for his release upon payment of 60,000 Ethiopian Birr bail. After his bail was paid, he was again detained by security personnel upon his release. This time, he was held in another prison facility, called “3rd district,” in Burayu city. Finally, on October 12, 2022, Waktola was released from detention following pressure from his family members and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission. Currently, Waktola lives on the run with his family as he reports that government security forces continue to follow him.
International Human Rights Law
International law protects citizens from arbitrary arrest and detentions; which are arrests and detentions that are not in accordance with the procedures established by law. Detained individuals also have certain rights, including access to their family, which is also protected in the Ethiopian constitution. Those who have been arrested or detained must be brought promptly before a judge or court so the lawfulness of their arrest or detention can be ruled upon.
Under international law, States also have the duty to ensure that persons deprived of their liberty are treated with respect for the inherent dignity of the person and are not subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment.
Waktola’s case is similar to that of thousands of Oromos languishing in Ethiopian prisons. He experienced arbitrary arrest and detention, torture and inhuman treatment, and denial of his right to a fair and public trial. Even when a court ordered his release, police ignored the court’s order and continued to detain him for months. Upon his release, he received no compensation for his wrongful imprisonment. Waktola, and other Oromos who have experienced similar treatment, have little hope that those who violated their rights will ever be brought to justice.