Press Statement of Human Rights Watch in English found below.
Toophiyaa: Hidhamtootni siyaasaa reebaman
(Naayroobii, Ankolololeessa 7, 2005) – Mootummaan Itoophiyaa hidhamtoota siyaasaa mana hidhaa Addis Ababaatti argamu keessatti kanneen hidhaman reebicha fi ergarama adda addaa akka irraaan gayaa jiru gabaasa har’aan kana baaseen Huumaan Raayit Woch ibse. Mootummaan Itoophiyaa hatattamaan tarkaanfii fudhatee gochaawwan seeraan malee Poolisoota Federaalaa Kutaa Qorannaa Yakkaatiin, bakka Maa’ikalaawii jedhamee beekamutti kan raawwataa jiru akka dhaabatu akka godhu, dhimmoota/iyyatoota akkanaa qaama gidduu galeessa ta’een akka qorachiisu, namoota dhimma kanaaf ittigaafatamummaa qabaachuun isaanii mirkanaayes akka seeratti dhiyeessu.
Gabaasni fuula 74, “Akka nuti ragaa of irratti baanu barbaadu’: Reebicha fi ergarama Buufata Poolisii Maa’ikalaawii , Itoophiyaa,” gabaasa dhiibbaa mirga dhala namaa irra ga’u, tooftaa qorannoo seeraan alaa, fi mana hidhaa qulqillina hin qabne Maa’ikalaawii kan bara 2002 irraa eegalee itti fufe. Hidhamtoota mana hidhaa Maa’ikalaawii keessatti hidhaman keessaa baay’een isaanii mormitoota siyaasaa, gaazexessitoota, qindeessitoota hiriira nagaa fi riphee lolaa deeggartan maqaa jedhuun namoota shakkamanidha. Huumaan Raayit Waach hidhamtoota Maa’ikalaawii tti hidhamanii turan fi firoottan isaanii dabalee namoota 35 ta’an dubbisuudhaan odeeffannoo akka argatetti angawootni mootummaa dirqiidhaan odeeffannoo barbaadu kennisiisuuf akka isaan reeban, waantota dhala namaaf barbaachisoo ta’an akka isaan dhorkataa turan fi mirga ogeessota seeraa fi maatii isaanii waliin wal arguu dhorktamaa akka turan himaniiru.
“Motummaan Itoophiyaa handhuura magaala guddittii Finfinnee keessati odeefannoo guurrachuuf irreetti gargaarama,” jette Leslie Lesfkow, itti aantuu Direkteera Huuman Raayit Woch . “ Rukuchaa, reebichaa, dirqisiisanii jecha gaazexessitoota fi mormitoota siyaasaa irraa fuudhuun waan tasuma ta’uu hin malle dha.”
Akka Huuman Raayit Woch jedhutti, erga bara 1997 keessa filmaatni jeeqamee asitti Itoophiyaan haala ittiin mormitoota qabdu itti hammeessaa dhufte, seera malee nama qabanii hidhuu, sababa ilaalcha siyaasaatiin nama yakkuu, seera badaa farra shororkeessitummaa jedhu jalatti hmachuu dabalatee namootni akka mormitoota siyaasaatti mootummichi shakke Maa’ikalaawii tti hidhamanii jecha isaanii akka kennan taasifama.
Angawootni mai’kelaawii, keessattu ogeessotnio poolisii qorannoo geggeessan, reebicha fi miidhaa hamaa hidhamtoota to’annoo isaanii jala jiran irraan gayu. Namootni kanaan dura mana hidhaa kanatti hidhamanii turan Huumaan Raayit Wochtti akka himanitti yaroo jecha kennan akka kabalamuun, dhaanaman fi meeshaa adda addaatiin rukutaman ulee fi sadafii qawweetiin akka dhayaman addeessu. Akkasumas, hidhamtootni kun qaamni isaanii akka lafa hin geenyetti haala rakkisaa ta’een sa’aa dheeraaf girigiddaatti akka malee qaamni isaanii fannifamee akka dhukkubu akka taasifamu fi yaroo baay’ees akka reebaman ibsu.
Barataan Oromiyaa tokko ji’oota baay’eef harki isaa hidhamee akka nama waliin wal hin argine qophaatti ka’ame dubbate: “waan harki koo hidha ta’eef yerooon lafaa ka’u mata koo gidaaratti hirkiseen miilla kootti gargaramee ol ka’a. Yeroon nyaata nyaadhullee hidhameetuman nyaadha. Yeroon nyaata nyaadhu harka koo fuulduratti na hidhu, yeroon rawwadhu ammoo harka duubatti deebisanii na hidhu.”
Manneen Hidhaa beekamoo Maa’ikalaawii keessatti argaman afran akka jiranitti haalli isaanii badaa yoo ta’u, hanga ta’e garuu wal irra jiru. Kuta “callamaa Beet” (mana dukkanaa), tti hidhamtonni duraanii akka ibsanitti mana fincanii fi ifa guyyaa achitti argachuu akka hin dandayamne ibsu. Gariin isaanii ammoo mana qophaa keessatti hidhamaa turani. Gariin “Xaawulaa Beet” (mana mukaa) keessatti hidhamaa turan ammoo akka diida bakka ifaa arganitti hin bane taasifaman fi akka injiraniin weeraramanis himatan. Qorattoonni akka mirgaatti hidhamtootni argachuu kan malan sadarkaa itti argatan towachuudhaan waan ofii barbaadan hidhamtoota irraa argaachuuf yaalu, malli kun mana biraatti isaan jijjiiruu faa of keessatti qabata. Yeroo hiikamuun isaani dhihaatu hidhamtoonni maqaa “Sheraton” hoteela beekamaa addunyatti beekmaaa ta’een waamamutti akka geeddaraman baayi’sanii gaafaatu. Bakka kanatti hidhamtoonni akka garaa isaaniitti deddemuu danda’u.
Hidhamtoonni Callamaa Beet fi Xaawulaa Beet keeessati hidhaman yaroo jalqaba hidhaa seenan, nama seeraa fi maatii isaanii waliin wal hin argisiifamani; hireen mana fincaanii fi ifatti ba’uuf argatanis baay’ee murtaawaadha. Firoonni isaanii yeroo hedduu firoota isaanii gaafachuuf Maa’ikalaawii deemanii akka arguu dadhaban dubbatu, sunis hanqa yeroon qorannoo firoota isaanii kanaa raawatutti kan itti fufudha, garuu yaroon isaa hedduu dheeraadha. Yeroo qorannoon geggeefaamu maatiin isaan dhiyootti waan hin argamneef hidhamtoota irra miidhaan ga’uu daranuu hammeenyi isaa guddaatti akka itti dhagaamu ta’a, miidhaan isaan irra ga’us hin galmeeffamu, sunis hidhamaan boodarra deebi’ee mootummaa akka hin himanneef hiree isa dhowwata, jedha Huuman Raayit Woch.
“Hidhamtoota abbaa seeraa fi maatii isaanii irraa kutuun, akkuma miidhaa qaamaa hidhamtootaa irratti guddisutti otoo hin barbaadiin akka fedhii qorattoota poolisii guutaanis dhiibbaa irratti godha.” Jette Lefkow. “Warreen Maa’ikalaawii keessa jiran yeroo qorataman gorsa ogeessota seeraa isaan barbaachisa, yeroodhaanis mana murtii dhihaachuutu isaan irra jira.”
Huumaan Raayit Woch akka hubatetti, qorattoonni reebichaa fi doorsiisuudhaan hidhamtoota akka isaan fedhii isaanii malee jecha kennan godhu, yookaan ammoo dirqisiisuudhaan akka isaan barreeffama fi waraqaa ragaa irrati ta’u irratt akka mallateessan isaan godhu. Odeefannoon humnaan fuudhame kun booda irratti doorsisanii akka namootni fedhii isaanii malee mootummaa waliin hojjetan ittiin dirquuf itti gargaaramu ykn ammoo akka ragaatti mana murtii keessati hidhamtoota irratti dhihaata.
Martin Schibbye, gaazexeessaan Suwiidin bara 2003 keessa Maa’ikalaawiitti hidhamee kan ture hidhamtoota dirqiidhaan jecha amantaa kennisiisuuf waan raawwatamu ibseera: “Namoota baay’ee Maa’ikalaawii keessatti argaman callisaniituma gaaffii tokko malee hidhuudhaan abdi kutachiisanii hanga jecha amantaa kennutti eegu, callisaniidhuma otoo waan tokko si hin gaafatiin hanga torban sadii faatti si hidhu, yeroon kun yaroo isaan jecha amantaa akka kennituuf si eeganidha, waanti cufti ragaa of irrati ba’uu kee irratti rarra’a. Polisiin waanti cufti mana murtiitti adda baafama jedha, garuu waanti mana murtiitti adda baafamu tokkollee hin jiru.”
Huumaan Raayit Woch akka jedhutti, hidhamtoonni miidhaa isaan irra ga’ee ilaalchisee iyyachuuf carraan qaban baay’ee xinnaadha. Manni Murtii Itoophiyaa bilisummaan qabu xinnaadha, keessattuu dhimma siyaasa wajjin waan wal qabate irratti. Hidhamtoonni baay’een, dhimma shororkessitummaatiin kan himataman dabalee, ergarama baay’ee akka irra gayu kan himatanillee yoo ta’e manni murtii iyyatni akkanaa akka qoratamu ykn sababa namootni iyyataniif ergaramni biraan akka irra hin geenye gochuuf tarkaanfiin fudhatu murtaawaadha.
Manni murtii iyyannaa miidhaa hidhamtootaaf furmaata kennuuf dursee socho’uutu irra jiraata; haa ta’u malee waanti akkanaa kan jiraatu mootummaan manneen murtii akka bilisa ta’anii hojjetan yoo isaaniif hayyame murtii isaaniis yoo kabajedha,, Huumaan Raayit Woach akka jedhutti.
Itoophiyaan waggoota dhiyoo asitti sochii dhaabota mirga namaa tiksuuf kanneen hojjetan akka malee kan daangessite fi gabaasa akka hin dhiyeessine kan gootu yoo ta’u haala mana hidhaa mooraa Maa’ikalaawiis akka hin ilaalles dhorkitee jirti. Gartuun tiksituu mirga ilma namaa kan mootummaa Itoophyaa erga 2002 asitti mana hidhaa Maa’ikalaawii yeroo sadii daawwatanii waa’ee rakkoo achi keessa jiru fi waa’ee nama dhoksaatti hidhuu ilaalchisee yaaddoo guddaa akka qaban ifatti ibsanii jiru. Haa ta’u malee hidhamtoonni duraan achi turan akka Huumaan Raayit Wochif ibsanitti, warri Koomishina mootummaa kun waan gartuu Maa’ikalaawiii waliin ta’anii isaan dubbisaa turaniif bilisa ta’anii waan isaan irra gaye itti himachuuf carra akka hin qabne addeessu.
Haala mana hidhaa Maa’ikalaawii daawwachuu, to’achuu fi akka fooyya’u gochuuf seerota mootummaa keessa lama irra deebi’amanii ilaalamuu fi faayyeffamuu qabu, isaanis seera dhaabota miti mootummaa fi Siiviik Soosaayitii akkasumas seera shororkeessitoota ittisu jechuuf bayanidha. Akka Huumaan Raayit Wochitti, seeronni kun dhaabotni mirga namaa tiksuuf socho’an keessaa kanneen bilisa ta’an to’annaa akka hin goone akka malee kan daandgessan, akka namni mana hidhaa keessati hin ergaramne fi akka maleetti hin miidhamneef sirnootni seeraa tumamuun irra ture akka hin jiraatne taasisanii jiru jedhu.
Akka heera Itoophiyaa fi hawaasni addunyaa seera jalatti bulan marti jedhanitti angawootni mootummaa hidhamtootni mana hidhaatti argaman ergaramni akka irra hin geenye mirkaneessuun irraa eegama, mootummaan Itoophiyaas ergarama raawwatamu fi dhiibbaa mirga namaa kanniin dhaabuun irra jiraata, namoota ittigafatamaummaa kallattii kanaan qabanis seeratti dhiyeessuu qaba, jechuun Huumaan Raayit Woch ibseera. Mootummaan Itoophiyaa rakkoon qabinsa mirga namaa jiraachuu isaa amanuu fi qabannaa hidhamtootaa sirreessuuf sagantaa hojii waggaa sadii fooya’insa qabinsa mirga namaa irratti kan baase yoo ta’u, sagantaan kun garuu reebicha hidhamtootaa fi miidhaa qaama isaanii irra geessifamu fooyyeessuuf waan ta’uu malu gochuu ilaalchise waan tokko of keessaa hin qabu; sanirra ijaarsa humnaa irratti kan xiyyeeffate fi jijiijrama bu’uuraa angawootni siyaasaa ergrama fi dhiibbaa mirgaa hidhamtoota irra ga’u fooyyessuuf tarkaanfii fudhachuu malan ilaalchisee homaa of keessaa hin qabu.
Maallaqa baay’ee baasuu, ogummaa fi dandeetti ogeessota Maa’ikalaawiii keessaa fi kan manneen hidhaa biroo cimsuun qofaa isaatti rakkoo mana hidhaa Itoophiyaa keessa jiruuf furmaata hin ta’u,” jette Lefkow. “ Jijiiramni dhugaa dhufee sirna warreen nama miidhanii osoo hin adabamin jiraatan dhaabuuf, furmaanni isaa warreen gurguddoota mootummaaf hojetan biraa dhufuutu irra jira.”
“Akka nuti ragaa of irrati baanu barbaadu: reebicha fi dararama mana hidhaa buufata Poolisii Maa’ikalaawii” fuula armaan gadiitti argama:
http://hrw.org/node/119826
Odeeffannoo dabalataa deemsa hojii mana murtii fi seera farra shororkessituu Itoophiyaa irratti waan armaan gadii ilaaluu dandeessu:
– http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/06/27/Ethiopia-terrorism-law-used-crush-free-speech
– http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/01/19/Ethiopia-terrorism-verdict-quashes-free-speech
– http://www.hrw.org/news/2011/12/21/Ethiopia-journalists-convicted-under-unfair-law
– http://www.hrw.org/news/2011/09/16/Ethiopia-crackdown-dissent-intensifies
– http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/06/30/Ethiopia-amend-draft-terror-law
– http://www.hrw.org/news/2010/11/02/submission-committee-against-torture-Ethiopia
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(Nairobi – Human Rights Watch) – Ethiopian authorities have subjected political detainees to torture and other ill-treatment at the main detention center in Addis Ababa. The Ethiopian government should take urgent steps to curb illegal practices in the Federal Police Crime Investigation Sector, known as Maekelawi, impartially investigate allegations of abuse, and hold those responsible to account.
The 70-page report, “‘They Want a Confession’: Torture and Ill-Treatment in Ethiopia’s Maekelawi Police Station,” documents serious human rights abuses, unlawful interrogation tactics, and poor detention conditions in Maekelawi since 2010. Those detained in Maekelawi include scores of opposition politicians, journalists, protest organizers, and alleged supporters of ethnic insurgencies. Human Rights Watch interviewed more than 35 former Maekelawi detainees and their relatives who described how officials had denied their basic needs, tortured, and otherwise mistreated them to extract information and confessions, and refused them access to legal counsel and their relatives.
“Ethiopian authorities right in the heart of the capital regularly use abuse to gather information,” said Leslie Lefkow, deputy Africa director. “Beatings, torture, and coerced confessions are no way to deal with journalists or the political opposition.”
Since the disputed elections of 2005, Ethiopia has intensified its clampdown on peaceful dissent. Arbitrary arrest and political prosecutions, including under the country’s restrictive anti-terrorism law, have frequently been used against perceived opponents of the government who have been detained and interrogated at Maekelawi.
Maekelawi officials, primarily police investigators, have used various methods of torture and ill-treatment against those in their custody. Former detainees described to Human Rights Watch being slapped, kicked, and beaten with various objects, including sticks and gun butts, primarily during interrogations. Detainees also described being held in painful stress positions for hours upon end, hung from the wall by their wrists, often while being beaten.
A student from Oromiya described being shackled for several months in solitary confinement: “When I wanted to stand up it was hard: I had to use my head, legs, and the walls to stand up. I was still chained when I was eating. They would chain my hands in front of me while I ate and then chain them behind me again afterward.”
Detention conditions in Maekelawi’s four primary detention blocks are poor but vary considerably. In the worst block, known as “Chalama Bet” (dark house in Amharic), former detainees said their access to daylight and to a toilet were severely restricted, and some were held in solitary confinement. Those in “Tawla Bet” (wooden house) complained of limited access to the courtyard outside their cells and flea infestations. Investigators use access to basic needs and facilities to punish or reward detainees for their compliance with their demands, including by transferring them between blocks. Short of release, many yearn to be transferred to the block known as “Sheraton,” named for the international hotel, where movement is freer.
Detainees held in Chalama Bet and Tawla Bet were routinely denied access to their lawyers and relatives, particularly in the initial phase of detention. Several family members told Human Rights Watch that they had visited Maekelawi daily but that officials denied them access to their detained relative until the lengthy investigation phase was over. The absence of a lawyer during interrogations increases the likelihood of abuse, and limits the chances for documenting abuse and obtaining redress.
“Cutting detainees off from their lawyers and relatives not only heightens the risk of abuse but creates enormous pressure to comply with the investigators’ demands,” Lefkow said. “Those in custody in Maekelawi need lawyers at their interrogations and access to their relatives, and should be promptly charged before a judge.”
Human Rights Watch found that investigators used coercive methods, including beatings and threats of violence, to compel detainees to sign statements and confessions. These statements have sometimes been used to exert pressure on people to work with the authorities after they are released, or used as evidence in court.
Martin Schibbye, a Swedish journalist held in Maekelawi in 2011, described the pressure used to extract confessions: “For most people in Maekelawi, they keep them until they give up and confess, you can spend three weeks with no interviews, it’s just waiting for a confession, it’s all built around confession. Police say it will be sorted in court, but nothing will be sorted out in court.”
Detainees have limited channels for redress for ill-treatment. Ethiopia’s courts lack independence, particularly in politically sensitive cases. Despite numerous allegations of abuse by defendants, including people held under the anti-terrorism law, the courts have taken inadequate steps to investigate these allegations or to protect defendants complaining of mistreatment from reprisals.
The courts should be more proactive in responding to complaints of mistreatment, but that can happen only if the government allows the courts to act independently and respects their decisions, Human Rights Watch said.
Ethiopia has severely restricted independent human rights investigation and reporting in recent years, hampering monitoring of detention conditions in Maekelawi. The governmental Ethiopian Human Rights Commission has visited Maekelawi three times since 2010 and publicly raised concerns about incommunicado detention. However, former detainees told Human Rights Watch that Maekelawi officials were present during those visits, preventing them from talking with commission members privately, and questioned their impact.
Improved human rights monitoring in Maekelawi and other detention facilities requires revision of two repressive laws, the Charities and Societies Proclamation and the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation. These laws have significantly reduced independent human rights monitoring and removed basic legal safeguards against torture and ill-treatment in detention.
Ethiopia’s constitution and international legal commitments require officials to protect all detainees from mistreatment, and the Ethiopian authorities at all levels have a responsibility both to end abusive practices and to prosecute those responsible. While the Ethiopian government has developed a three-year human rights action plan that acknowledges the need to improve the treatment of detainees, the plan does not address physical abuse and torture; it focuses on capacity building rather than on the concrete political action needed to end the routine abuse.
“More funds and capacity building alone will not end the widespread mistreatment in Maekelawi and other Ethiopian detention centers,” Lefkow said. “Real change demands action from the highest levels of government against all those responsible to root out the underlying culture of impunity.”
– Source: Human Rights Watch
