Europe and United Nations should advocate for the release of political prisoners in Ethiopia

The Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) has sent an appeal to the European Union and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, to clarify the fate of missing Ethiopian opposition leader Andargarchew Tsige and to demand his release. "We are deeply concerned for the life of the most prominent Ethiopian democracy-activist", said STP-consultant Ulrich Delius in Göttingen on Monday. "Europe and the UN should also advocate for the release of 17 Muslim Ethiopians, who were imprisoned for allegedly criticizing the government's religious policy and are now accused of terrorism. More must be done than just watch Ethiopia abusing its anti-terrorism laws to silence unwanted critics."

Tsige was arrested on June 24, 2014, in transit at the airport Sana'a in Yemen. Ethiopia had demanded his extradition. Officially, his whereabouts are not known – but the Ginbot-7 Movement declared that he was brought to Ethiopia. The opposition politician is threatened by charges of terrorism, leading to at least a long-term imprisonment or even the death sentence.

Tsige is the General Secretary of the banned Ethiopian Ginbot-7 Movement. The group is committed to Ethiopia's democratization, to the observance of the basic civil rights, good governance and an end to the marginalization of individual ethnic or religious groups. This is why the authoritarian ruling EPRDF is trying to discredit the movement as a terrorist group. Leading regime critics, such as the prominent journalist Eskinder Nega, were already sentenced to long prison terms for alleged contacts to Ginbot 7.

In 2012, a criminal case based on "terrorist offenses" was initiated against Tsige – who is a British citizen and lives in the UK – in absentia. "The EU must not accept that Ethiopia tramples on the rights of European citizens and silences them by locking them away," said Delius. "Tsige can not expect a fair trial in Ethiopia. A conviction against him would be a serious setback for all efforts towards a democratization of Ethiopia."

Last weekend, hundreds of Muslims protesters gathred in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, calling for a release of their arrested religious leaders. The 17 men had been taken into custody in August 2013, following massive protests by the Muslims against the interference of the Ethiopian state in the internal affairs of the religious community. About 34 percent of the country's population are Muslim.

Ulrich Delius, head of STP's Africa department, is available for further questions: Tel. 0551 49906 27 or afrika@gfbv.de.