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Professor Mesfin Woldemariam, aged 75, a retired geography professor and author. He is also an internationally-known human rights defender and the founder and former chair of the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO) for 14 years.
Professor Woldermariam had recently resigned from his EHRCO position to support the CUD's election campaign and write for the private press. He has been ill in bed for the past three months with a painful spinal complaint, for which he has been receiving regular physiotherapy. Amnesty International fears for his safety and health since detainees are often treated harshly, particularly in the first few days of detention, including by being made to sleep on a cold cement floor, not being allowed to receive food or a change of clothing from relatives, and being denied medical treatment. It is not clear if he has been allowed to take pain-killing medication with him. He may be held in the same place as the CUD leaders. Police later broke into his home and took away documents and other materials.
A conference of human rights defenders from all countries of East Africa and the Horn of Africa, meeting in Entebbe, Uganda, is also demanding the release of Professor Mesfin Woldemariam.
Hassan Sheikh Shire, co-chair of the conference and director of a Canadian-sponsored East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project, said: "Human rights defenders stand here in solidarity with Professor Mesfin Woldemariam and demand his immediate release. We call on the Ethiopian government to recognize the legitimate role of human rights defenders in accordance with the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. The Government of Ethiopia must take measures to ensure respect for the rule of law and protection of basic human rights."
Amnesty International:
• Calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Professor Mesfin Woldemariam, the CUD members of parliament and ordinary members of the CUD, whom Amnesty International considers to be prisoners of conscience falsely accused by the government of violent conspiracy.
• Urges that, while Professor Mesfin Woldemariam remains in detention, he be given all necessary medical care in hospital rather than harsh prison conditions without appropriate medical facilities.
• Calls for the security forces to be ordered not to use lethal force against demonstrators except where lives are threatened, and for an independent inquiry into the shooting deaths and injuries.
• And calls on the UN Special Representative for Human Rights Defenders and the Special Rapportuer on Human Rights Defenders of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights to use all possible channels to secure the release and safety of prominent human rights defender Professor Mesfin Woldemariam.
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