Seyoum Teshome, University Lecturer in Ethiopian, detained. Reason unknown, but it is suspected that he had posted anti-government information on his blog and on Facebook. CCS encourages his immediate release.
July 5, 2017
Hailemariam Dessalegn
Prime Minister
FDRE Prime Minister
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Fax: +251 11 122 6292
Your Excellency:
The Committee of Concerned Scientists is 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 write to express our profound dismay at the treatment of Seyoum Teshome, a professor at Ambo University who was arrested on September 30, 2016, two days before he was to take a PhD entry exam, in his hometown of Waliso. Seyoum has written and spoken frequently about protests and unrest in the Oromia region, and it appears that he was detained solely for this free expression of his beliefs.
By October 20 a jury had found no evidence that Seyoum committed a crime, but he was then charged with violating a State of Emergency, and his detention continued. While in detention Seyoum claims, he was at least on one occasion, severely beaten in order to extract a confession. When Seyoum retracted that confession, he told Amnesty International that the Chief Investigator threatened to shoot him. That threat was not carried out, and Seyoum was finally released on December 21.
We welcome the fact that Seyoum Teshome was released after two months, but we remain deeply concerned that no one has been held accountable for the alleged beating, and that he reportedly continues to receive warnings and threats as he exercises his fundamental right to freedom of expression.
We urge you to ensure that Seyoum Teshome’s right to freedom of expression is fully respected, that he is able to continue speaking out without further threats or intimidation, and that those who beat him in prison be identified and brought to justice.
Thank you for your attention to this most serious matter, and we look forward to receiving your response.
Sincerely,
Joel L. Lebowitz, Paul H. Plotz, Walter Reich, Eugene M. Chudnovsky, Alexander Greer
Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists
cc.:
Ambassador Kassa Teklebirhan
Minister of Federal Affairs
FDRE Ministry of Federal Affairs
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Fax: +251.11 551 1200/551 3926
Getachew Ambaye
Minister of Justice
FDRE Ministry of Justice
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Fax: +251 11 551 7775
Email: justabr@ethionet.et
Ambassador Girma Birru
Embassy of Ethiopia
3506 International Drive, NW
Washington DC 20008
T: 202 364 1200
F: 202 587 0195
Email: ethiopia@ethiopianembassy.org