OLLAA has received a credible report regarding the arbitrary arrest, detention, and torture of Wariyo Dida.
Wariyo Dida was born in Shawabaret Moyale, Borena Zone of Oromia. He was a student studying economics at Borena University and owns an electronics shop in the market town of Moyale.
In May 2022, while Wariyo was studying for a final exam, he received a call from an unnamed man known to Wariyo, who told him he wanted to meet with him. After Wariyo finished his exam, he went to meet with the man. However, when Wariyo arrived, he found the man waiting for him with members of the police. The police arrested Wariyo without a court warrant. According to our source, while they were placing him under arrest, the police told Wariyo, “You are hindering the movement and the operation of the ENDF. We know that you are a member of OLA.”
The police took Wariyo to Abba Gada Hall, a government office in the town of Adama, where Wariyo was detained for a day without access to his lawyer or family. Wariyo was then transferred to a federal police training camp in Hurso, a town near Dire Dawa city.
At the Hurso camp, Wariyo found that he was detained with more than 800 inmates, all of whom were Oromo. According to our source, in the camp, Wariyo experienced torture and inhuman treatment, including beatings, whippings by dry stick, being forced to do physical exercises barefoot, and being deprived of food, which OLLAA’s staff have been told are typical forms of torture at military training camps like these. Wariyo was detained in Hurso camp for approximately 104 days.
After more than three months of imprisonment, and without ever being brought before a court of law, Wariyo was finally released on 25 September 2022. Due to his detention, he was forced to drop out of school, and he returned home to find all 20 of his cattle had died due to drought and the fact that there was no one left to take care of them. According to our source, Wariyo continues to face intimidation and harassment from the district and kebele security forces.
International Law
Ethiopia is a State party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), and other international human rights instruments that guarantee rights to liberty and a fair trial. The right to liberty protects citizens from arbitrary arrest and detentions, which are arrests and detentions that are not in accordance with the procedures established by law. Persons who have been arrested or detained have the right to present to court within 48 hours of their detention. Torture and other inhumane treatments, which Wariyo were subjected to, are also strictly prohibited. The Ethiopian constitution and other national laws also guarantee these rights.