Colonel Aseged Mekonnen

                                      Photo of Colonel Aseged Mekonnen

 By: Eyob Tilahun

Concealing a detainee is a serious violation of international human rights law. Secret detention is prohibited because it leaves the individual outside the protection of the law, amounting to an arbitrary arrest and depriving them of their fundamental rights.

International human rights law guarantees detainees the right to access legal representation and provides safeguards against enforced disappearance. However, these rights have been violated by the Ethiopian authorities and hid dozens of detainees.

Article 9 of the Ethiopian Constitution, along with Ethiopia’s ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) in 1993, guarantees the right to liberty and security of the person and forbids the disappearance of detainees. This article also states that all international treaties ratified by Ethiopia form an integral part of the nation’s law.

Furthermore, Ethiopia has signed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which outlines the fundamental principles of human rights, including the right to liberty and security.

International Humanitarian Law (IHL) also dictates the humane treatment of prisoners of war and civilians, forbidding their concealment, as such actions would breach their rights to humane treatment and to be informed of their legal status and whereabouts.

On 22 July 2024, Colonel Aseged Mekonnen, an author and prominent Fano leader in Shewa, was unfortunately detained by Ethiopian government forces. Since then, his whereabouts have remained unknown, and the government has provided no information about his detention.

All concerned people call on the dictatorial regime of Ethiopia to fully comply with all applicable laws governing the treatment of prisoners and to urgently clarify the whereabouts of Colonel Aseged Mekonnen.

Additionally, people urge the international community to take all appropriate measures to press the Ethiopian authorities to disclose the location and situation of Colonel Mekonnen and others who have been arbitrarily detained.