13 JUNE 2001

 INHUMANE DETENTION AND VIOLATION OF RIGHTS

The government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi is engaged in a continuous violation of rights vis a vis its political opponents and rivals. Following the dissent expressed by 12 central committee members of the ruling Tigrai People's Liberation front (TPLF) not only the dissenters but their relatives have also been subjected to illegal treatment. In this connection,colonel ELENI MELES, the wife of dissident TPLF CC member Solomon Tesfaye (aka Timmo) has been recently jailed and kept incommunicado in asecret location. What is serious is that her health condition is precarious (she has a heart ailment and has to to take pills daily) and her relatives have not been allowed to send her the necessary medication. The bail rights of detained dissidents, Seye Abrha and Bitew Belai for one, have been arbitrarily revoked. There are many instances of harassment and threats being used to extract so called confessions and the falsification of evidence is also signalled. Once again, the government is clearly showing that it has full control over the judiciary specially the prosecutor's office.

 SOCEPP calls on the government to respect the rights of the accused who outwardly face charges of corruption but are in reality in jail and under persecution for political reasons.

SOCEPP