August 25/2005ABERA YEMANEAB JAILED AGAINAbera Yemaneab, released
after 12 years of illegal detention, has been jailed again on alleged
orders of the "prosecutor general". He is reportedly back in the
horrible Kaliti prison. This is a cruel and vindictive act that has
hampered him from traveling to the USA to see his family and to attend his
first son's wedding on August 29. Abera was arrested in
December 1993 when he arrived in Addis from Washington to take part in a
Peace and Reconciliation Conference as part of a delegation of the
opposition Coalition of Ethiopian Democratic Forces. He was accused by the
regime but a court released him in April 1994 though the authorities
ignored this and kept him in jail. Abera fled from Ethiopia in 1977,
during the time of the Mengistu regime, and had been living as a refugee
in the USA till 1993.Kept in prison for 12 years he was recently condemned
to a ten-year term and released a just a week ago. Orders regarding Abera's
detention and fate have all reportedly emanated from Prime Minister Melees
Zenawi himself and there are enough grounds to believe that the re arrest
is also the PM's doing. This is for sure a vindictive and cruel act on the
part of the head of the ruling EPRDF who not only routinely interferes in
the affairs of the judiciary but also controls the court and judiciary as
a whole. Abera was kept in prison illegally and without due process and
his release was long overdue. His re arrest shows the non- existence of
the rule of law in Ethiopia and the impunity with which the ruling group
violates the rights of Ethiopians. SOCEPP calls on Ethiopians
and on all peace loving people to condemn this cruel and illegal act that
has deprived Abera, once again, his basic freedom and liberty. Abera
should be released without delay and allowed to travel to rejoin his
family in Washington DC. INJUSTICE ANYWHERE IS INJUSTICE EVERYWHERE SOCEPP |