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Political Science Professor and Former Member of Parliament Arrested

January 12, 2017

Dr. Merera Gudina, a political science professor who is also a former Member of Parliament and a leader in asserting the political interests of the Oromo people of Ethiopia, was arrested on November 30 upon his return to Ethiopia after a meeting at the European Parliament.

We believe he was detained because of his association at that meeting with Olympic marathon silver-medalist Feyisa Lilesa and Dr. Berhanu Nega, an opposition leader your government has designated a “terrorist”. We call for his immediate and unconditional release.

January 11, 2017

Hailemariam Dessalegn
FDRE Prime Minister
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Fax: +251 11 122 6292

Your Excellency:

I am writing on behalf of the Committee of Concerned Scientists, an independent organization of scientists, physicians, engineers and scholars devoted to the protection and advancement of human rights and scientific freedom for colleagues all over the world.

We are extremely concerned about the arrest of Dr. Merera Gudina, a political science professor who is also a former Member of Parliament and a leader in asserting the political interests of the Oromo people of Ethiopia. He was arrested on November 30 upon his return to Ethiopia after a meeting at the European Parliament, and we believe he was detained because of his association at that meeting with Olympic marathon silver-medalist Feyisa Lilesa and Dr. Berhanu Nega, an opposition leader your government has designated a “terrorist”.

Though initially it was claimed that Dr. Gudina had been detained for violating the current “State of Emergency”, late last month his detention was extended and it has been reported that he may now face terrorism charges. His detention may be extended again for 28 days at his next hearing on January 26.

Ethiopia joined the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) over 20 years ago, and your government is thus obligated to protect citizens’ rights to free expression and association. It appears clear to us that our colleague Dr. Gudina has been arrested for peaceful political activity, and, unless strong evidence emerges to the contrary, we call on you to secure his immediate and unconditional release.

Sincerely,

Joel L. Lebowitz, Paul H. Plotz, Walter Reich,
Eugene M. Chudnovsky, Alexander Greer

Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists

Copies to:

Ambassador Girma Birru
Embassy of Ethiopia
3506 International Dr. NW
Washington DC 20008
Fax: 202 587 0195
Email: ethiopia@ethiopianembassy.org

Related articles
  • Ethiopia’s Merera Gudina detained after trip to Europe
  • Ethiopia Arrests Top Oromo Opposition Politician After Europe Parliament Speech (washingtonpost.com)

Filed Under: Ethiopia Tagged With: Academics, Ethiopia, European Parliament, Merera Gudina

Who We Are

Co-chairs

Joel L. Lebowitz, Rutgers University

Paul H. Plotz, M.D., Washington, DC

Walter Reich, George Washington University

Eugene Chudnovsky, Lehman College

Alexander Greer, Brooklyn College

Vice-chairs

Astronomy – Arno Penzias, New Enterprises Associates*

Biology – Max E. Gottesman, Columbia University

Chemistry – Zafra Lerman, MIMSAD Inc.

Computer Science – Rachelle Heller, The George Washington University

Computer Science – Jack Minker, University of Maryland, College Park

Engineering – Philip Sarachik, NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering

Mathematics – Simon Levin, Princeton University

Medical Sciences – J. Joseph Blum, Duke University

Honorary Board Members

Nancy Andrews, Duke University

David Baltimore, California Institute of Technology*

Alan J. Bard, University of Texas

Jacob Bigeleisen (deceased), SUNY, Stony Brook

Raoul Bott (deceased), Harvard University

Owen Chamberlain (deceased), University of California, Berkeley

Stanley Deser, Brandeis University

Edward Gerjuoy, University of Pittsburg

David Gross, (2004 Nobel Prize in Physics), Kavil Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara*

Pierre Hohenberg (deceased), New York University

Walter Kohn (deceased), University of California, Santa Barbara*

James Langer, University of California, Santa Barbara

Peter Lax, New York University

Louis Nirenberg, New York University

Marshall Nirenberg (deceased), National Institutes of Health*

Honorary Board Members

John C. Polanyi, University of Toronto*

Stuart Rice, University of Chicago

Sir Richard J. Roberts, (1993 Nobel Prize in Physiology & Medicine), New England Biolabs*

Myriam Sarachick, City College of New York

Harold Scheraga, Cornell University

Sylvan Schweber (deceased), Brandeis University

Maxine Singer, Carnegie Institution of Washington

Alfred I. Tauber, Boston University

Steven Weinberg, University of Texas, Austin*

Myrna Weissman, Columbia University

Rosalyn S. Yalow (deceased), Mount Sinai School of Medicine*

* Nobel laureate

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