OCTOBER 6/ 2007

URGENT PRESS RELEASE

SUDAN DEPORTS 15 POLITICAL REFUGEES

Sudan deported 15 Ethiopian refugees who were in prison since early July 2007. According to eyewitnesses form Metema on the Ethio-Sudanese border, on September 27 , 2007 the Sudan Government handed over the Ethiopian political refugees who are alleged supporters of the armed groups supported by Ertirea. Sources from Addis Ababa confirmed the deportees are in  MAIKELAWI prison. The elderly Atanaw Wase, a well known founding leader of the EDU , is one of the deportees. 

 All the deportees face grave danger to their lives. Please call on the UNHCR and other bodies  to follow their case closely and  to impede the regime in Addis Ababa from harming them in one way or another. Letters of strong protest should be sent to the military regime in Khartoum that continues to violate the basic rights of Ethiopian refugees.

SOCEPP