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An international non-profit organization of scientists, physicians, engineers and scholars dedicated to protecting the human rights and scientific freedom of our colleagues around the world.

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Lecturer at Rift Valley University in Ethiopia Arrested for Assistance in Writing Book Critical of the Ethiopian Government

October 24, 2019

Dr. Firew Bekele has been charged under the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation accused of writing a book critical of the government. Bekele denies writing it but acknowledges helping with writing it. Being detained in this regard is a violation of his human rights to free expression and speech. CCS has written to the new Prime Minister of Ethiopia, and recent winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, requesting Bekele’s release.

October 21, 2019

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed
PO Box 1031
Lorenzo Te’azaz Road
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Email: info@pmo.gov.et
Twitter: @PMEthiopia

Dear Prime Minister Ahmed,

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 today to express our grave concern for Firew Bekele, a lecturer at Rift Valley University, who was arrested on August 17. He has been charged under the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation, apparently because of a book that is critical of your government. He is accused of having written this book – “Yetetlefe Tigil” (the Hijacked Struggle) – an accusation he denies though he may have assisted in its publication.

In any event, Firew Bekele has the right to freely and peacefully express his views and opinions, and it is apparent that he has been arrested and charged in violation of his basic human rights. During his detention he has, reportedly, been interrogated in an effort to get him to confess to writing the book in question, or to name its authors. Access to his family and legal representation have been hindered, in violation of his basic right to due process and a fair legal proceeding.

We note that as a Nobel Peace Prize winner you have a special responsibility to respect and protect the fundamental rights of your fellow countrymen, and we urge you to review this case and dismiss the charges against Firew Bekele and have him released. While he remains in detention, he should be granted regular access to family and legal counsel.

Thank you for your consideration of this most serious and urgent matter and we look forward to receiving your response.

Sincerely,

signatures
Joel L. Lebowitz, Paul H. Plotz, Walter Reich, Eugene M. Chudnovsky, Alexander Greer
Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists

Cc:
Ambassador Fitsum Arega
Embassy of Ethiopia
3506 International Drive, NW
Washington, D.C. 20008
Tel: (202) 364-1200
Fax: (202) 587-0195
ethiopia@ethiopianembassy.org

Filed Under: Ethiopia Tagged With: Bekele, book, charged, Firew, Firew Bekele, writing

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Co-chairs

Joel L. Lebowitz, Rutgers University

Walter Reich, George Washington University

Eugene Chudnovsky, Lehman College

Alexander Greer, Brooklyn College

Vice-chairs

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Myles Axton, Chief Editor, Genetics and Genomics Next

David Baltimore, California Institute of Technology*

Alan J. Bard, University of Texas

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Peter Lax, New York University

Giorgio Parisi, Roma I University La Sapienza

John C. Polanyi, University of Toronto*

Stuart Rice, University of Chicago

Sir Richard J. Roberts, New England Biolabs*

Maxine Singer, Carnegie Institution of Washington

Alfred I. Tauber, Boston University

Myrna Weissman, Columbia University

Former Honorary Board Members

Jacob Bigeleisen (deceased), SUNY, Stony Brook

Raoul Bott (deseased) Harvard University

Owen Chamberlain (deceased), University of California, Berkeley

Stanley Deser (deceased), Brandeis University

Edward Gerjuoy (deceased), University of Pittsburgh

Pierre Hohenberg (deceased), New York University

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

Louis Nirenberg (deceased), New York University

Marshall Nirenberg (deceased), National Institutes of Health*

Myriam Sarachick (deceased), City College of New York

Harold Scheraga (deceased), Cornell University

Sylvan Schweber (deceased), Brandeis University

Steven Weinberg (deceased), University of Texas, Austin*

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

* Nobel laureate

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