February 3, 2002

TORTURE AND MISTREATMENT OF ETHIOPIANS IN SAUDI ARABIA

Ethiopians living in Saudi Arabia are defenseless-a number of them accused of "preaching Christianity" were jailed a year ago and subjected to torture and beatings. Appeals by them and their elatives to the EPRDF envoys to the Kingdom brought no help whatsoever.

Following some international protest, some of the detainees have been released and deported. But. Even at the deportation holding center, some of them have been flogged and tortured. Kept in their hundreds in overcrowded and filthy cells (11.5x30 metres), the prisoners were repeatedly taken out day or night and subjected to torture. Tinsae Gizatchew, Bahru Mengiste and Gebeyehu Tefera are among those who were flogged brutally.

 In Saudi Arabia, in 2001 alone, some 17 young Ethiopian girls employed as domestic aides and maids in Saudi homes have been disfigured by acid, beaten and mutilated without any action being taken to punish those guilty of the horrible acts. Most of the complaining girls have been deported. Rapes have also been reported without any legal action being taken by the Saudi authorities. Similar incidents have been reported consistently from other Middle Eastern capital to where Ethiopian young girls have been sent in what has been termed "modern slavery" by many observers.

SOCEPP