Daniel Bekele, ActionAid International’s policy manager in Ethiopia, was this week arrested and detained in Addis Ababa without charge. He is reportedly being held in unacceptable conditions.
A few weeks ago, armed assailants carried out a vicious attack on Mr. Bekele. That attack, and Mr. Bekele’s current detention have come at a time when Ethiopia is facing political tension and uncertainty, and when civil society is becoming a target for intimidation and violence.
ActionAid International demands:
- that Mr. Bekele’s lawyer be granted immediate access to him
- that a doctor be allowed to visit Mr. Bekele immediately to check his condition
- that the Ethiopian government respect and protect the independence and autonomy of civil society organizations, and guarantee the safety of their staff.