February 12/2001

 SOCEPP COMMUNIQUE URGENT

ACTION REQUIRED URGENT ACTION

ETHIOPIAN IN BELGIUM BEATEN UP AND FACING DEPORTATION

ALEMSEGED TEKA, a 28 years security guard of the Ethiopian Air Lines managed to land in Brussels, Belgium, on January 27 and sought asylum claiming that as an Amhara he faced persecution and feared foe his life. The Belgian authorities detained and sent him back to Cairo on the cargo plane returning to Addis Abeba and which had to make a stop over in the Egyptian capital. The Cairo authorities refused to send Alemseged to Addis Abeba and sent him back to Brussels.

Alemseged was subsequently jailed at the airport by the Belgian police. SOCEPP has learnt that he has beaten by the police and his arm has been broken. The Belgian police seem determined to send him back to Ethiopia where, now that he had asked asylum, will surely face severe punishment. Alemseged could be deported nay day now and this calls for immediate and urgent protest action to be addressed to the Belgian authorities.

SOCEPP calls upon you all to phone or write to the Belgian embassy or consulate near you protesting on the handling of Alemseged and calling on Belgium to rescind the deportation order. Please act without any dealy. Send copies of protest messages to Amnesty International, the Eurpoean Commission, the UNHCR, etc...

SOCEPP