Habtamu Ayalew

Background Teshome analyzes the daily live Amharic Ethio 360 Ethiopian news broadcast from its headquarters in Washington D.C., through satellite TV, and social media since 2019. The TPLF–led EPRDF regime in Ethiopia claimed consecutive election victories for nearly three decades in the country that was described as a repressive ruling and condemned for a frequent crackdown of opposition parties, journalists, and dissidents. The regime announced wins for 2005, 2010, and 2015 elections with 99.6% and 100% victories in the latter two terms. During the 2015 election, international bodies reported a crackdown on opposition parties and their supporters. He then assumed a leadership position for an opposition, Unity for Democracy and Justice (UDJ) party and served in communications, activism, and overall campaigns until he was imprisoned in 2014.

Detention (July 2014 to December 2015) On 8 July 2014, Habtamu was detained at the prison in Addis Ababa. As required by law, police reportedly did not bring him before a judge within 48 hours of his detention, and he was not formally charged until late October, which is also another violation of the law. Defense Attorneys and families also alleged authorities for denying them visits.

Terrorism charges Habtamu's terrorism charges were for allegedly providing support to an opposition Ginbot 7 party and which was designated a terrorist group by the ruling party. TPLF's Getachew Reda accused the opposition for alleged engagement and connection to terrorist organizations. See ATP, for the abuse of the anti-terrorism law for persecuting opposition.

The 2009 Anti-Terrorism Proclamation (ATP) International bodies criticized ATP as a deeply-flawed law that the government abused to limit freedom of the press, silence voices, and persecute members of perceived opponents. The series of abuse that occurred ahead of the 2015 election was characterized as the manifestation of politically motivated hostilities. Amnesty International and other rights bodies reported that Habtamu was one of the political prisoners who was subjected to such terrorism charges and prolonged ill-treatment for nearly two years. involved hanging, beating, tying prisoners in a stress position, electric shocks, prolonged physical exercises, and detaining people shackled in solitary confinement. Additional techniques included hanging a bottle of water to a prisoner's penis, pulling nails, exposure to cold, nudity, and being subjected to ethnic and other forms of slurs. Detainees were coerced to confess and sign incriminating evidence. Habtamu got detained in one of the darkest, overcrowded, and terribly confined Maekelawi cells, which is also known as cell No. 7 (the Tawla bet), that he shared with other detainees. Mattresses were often wet due to sewerage flooding. Detainees were generally brought out to access the toilet twice a day around 6 am and 6 pm, for a total of a shared 10 minutes access time.

Post-acquittal appeal and medical travel restriction Persecutors appealed against Habtamu's acquittal, Public Campaigns were held against this restriction, and additionally, international bodies made calls on the government to investigate his torture, ill-treatment, and the causes of his illness. and as an active Social media influencer on Ethiopian politics with over 225, 000 Facebook and 125, 000 Twitter followers.

Reactions Human Rights Watch′s report said the Ethiopian government should immediately drop politically motivated charges brought against dissidents under the country's deeply flawed anti-terrorism law, specifying the 2014 crackdown against four opposition leaders including Habtamu Ayalew of the UDJ party. It added that the charges were part of an intensified crackdown against political opponents. The U.S. House of Representatives introduced a resolution, H. RES. 861 on Human rights Practices that listed the serious human and international rights violations against opposition members and journalists and called it "state-sponsored" violence. The report criticized abuse of the ATP law and authorities' refusal of Habtamu's timely life-saving medical treatment. The report described the unconscious health status that Habtamu was found in due to ill-treatment during his imprisonment. Amnesty International called on Ethiopian authorities to allow Habtamu, an opposition politician to obtain life-saving surgery and medical treatment abroad. The report specified the severe progression of the Grade-3 hemorrhoids. Amnesty also detailed the harsh prison conditions, exposed the tortures, denial of access to toilet facilities and the terrorism charges that the government imposed against opposition voices. It also called on the authorities to promptly and impartially investigate the detention conditions that caused Habtamu's health to deteriorate. The US also previously released reports on the Habtamu et al. allegations and court cases. Public cyber campaign: the diaspora and media brought awareness to the issues of medical travel restriction against Habtamu.