INSIDE ETHIOPIA'S JAILS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ADDIS ABABA 000737 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/05/2019 TAGS: PHUM KJUS PGOV KDEM PREL ET SUBJECT: INSIDE ETHIOPIA'S JAILS ADDIS ABAB 00000737 001.2 OF 003 Classified By: Ambassador Donald Yamamoto. Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) Recent interviews with individuals who have been held in non-traditional detention facilities have shed anecdotal light on beatings and abuse by Ethiopian security officials against civilians in country. While we cannot confirm the scope or persistence of such mistreatment, these first-hand reports do offer a unique insight into abuse of detainees and dynamics regarding Ethiopia's non-traditional detention facilities. A handful of released political and other prisoners in Ethiopia have recently reported to PolOff that they and other detainees have been tortured in police station jails in attempts by security officials to elicit confessions before cases go to trial. Depending on the detainee, abuses reported include being blindfolded and hung by the wrists for several hours, bound by chains and beaten, held in solitary confinement for several days to weeks or months, subjected to mental torture such as harassment and humiliation, forced to stand for over 16 hours, and having heavy objects hung from one's genitalia (males). Based on what our sources have reported, torture seems to be more common at police station detention centers (most notably Ma-ekelawi police station in Addis Ababa),while less is reported at Kaliti prison. Released prisoners have also reported to PolOff cases of prisoners being detained for several years without being charged and without trial, prisoners held in jails despite having been released by the courts, and police interference with court proceedings. End Summary. Eliciting Confessions from Political Prisoners -------------- - ¶2. (C) Two political prisoners who were arrested for "inciting violence" following the 2005 elections described to PolOff various forms of torture to which they were subjected during the three months spent at Addis Ababa Police Commission's Criminal Investigation Division, located on the same compound as the federal police. In an effort to elicit confessions, police beat them, tied their hands and legs with chains, and tied a water bottle to the male prisoner's genitals. They were given one meal every two days, and were not allowed to shower or change clothes. The same sources told PolOff that three prisoners with whom they were detained (Tsegaye Ayele Yigzaw, Gedlu Ayele Hulu-Ante, and Argata Gobena Maru) died in jail as a result of the beatings, poor conditions and absence of medical treatment, and one pregnant woman (Webit Lengamo) miscarried after being severely beaten. They reported that many fellow prisoners (with whom they are still in contact) left prison with permanent injuries to the ears, heads, hands, legs, and/or genitals. ¶3. (C) The two prisoners referenced above have said they expect to be convicted at their next trial date on April 8. The prisoners said that police officers have testified that they had admitted guilt and that the police presented forged confessions to the judge. The prisoners deny having signed the confessions or admitting guilt. Under Article 27 of the Penal Code, a confession is sufficient for conviction (no evidence is needed). While out on bail, one defendant ran into a judge from the case and the judge told her, "we know what you did. We're just going through the procedures before we lock you up. You should contact Pastor Dan and start working on a pardon." (NOTE: Pastor Daniel Gebreselassie of Prison Fellowship is one of the "Ethiopian Elders" who helped to broker the pardon of political prisoners who had been jailed in the aftermath of the 2005 national elections. END NOTE.) ¶4. (C) One opposition official recently released on bail told PolOff that he spent one month and 18 days in Ma-ekelawi in a small, dark, 4x4 meter room with 12 other prisoners. He reported that medical treatment was not available, and prisoners were not allowed any visitors. He also said that the younger prisoners were beaten most severely, and then denied medical treatment. After the beatings the younger prisoners returned to the same cell where our source was being held. He reported that older prisoners (including him) ADDIS ABAB 00000737 002.2 OF 003 were subjected to mental torture and certain kinds of physical torture, such as being forced to stand for several hours. The opposition official also said he was forced to stand for over 16 hours and when he collapsed, he was taken to a solitary confinement cell where he was held for eight days. According to him, a fellow prisoner claimed that he was forced to stand for 36 hours. ¶5. (C) According to a British national recently released from Ma-ekelawi, the jail is divided into two sections, the "open" side and the "underground" side. In the "open" side, there are 12 cells, six on each side of an open courtyard about two meters wide. There are eight toilets and two showers, for an average of 100 prisoners at a time. In the "underground" side, there are two types of solitary confinement cells. One type of cell is reportedly not physically uncomfortable, while the other type of cell is extremely small and prisoners are forced to stand. Held Without Trial -------------- ¶6. (C) The opposition official mentioned above also reported that some prisoners told him that they have been detained for several years without being charged and without trial. For example, he spoke with four people who were arrested in Hargeisa, Somaliland two years ago and accused of being members of the Oromo Liberation Front, a banned insurgent movement. They have been held for two years without trial, and their families do not know of their whereabouts. Also, he spoke with one of four people who were arrested 14 years ago following the assassination attempt against Egyptian President Mubarak and held incommunicado without trial. Of the four, two have already died in prison and the two others are in very bad condition. A British national who recently spent almost one month in Ma-ekelawi jail reported to PolOff that several foreign prisoners (from Nigeria, Somalia, Cameroon, Bangladesh, Chad, Eritrea, Belgium, Egypt, Liberia, and the Congo) charged with overstaying their visas continue to be held at Ma-ekelawi after having been released by the courts. While both were still in jail, a Bangladeshi man told the British national that he had been released by the courts but continued to be held at Ma-ekelawi for three additional months. Also, several prisoners told the British national anectdotal stories of other prisoners' family members being forced to pay bribes to police to get prisoners released from Ma-ekelawi. One person told our source that her brother was in jail and had to stay there until they could figure out to whom they should pay the bribe. In another case a foreigner told our source that he was asked for a USD 50 bribe from the investigator in order to speed up the process. Police Interference with Court Proceedings -------------- ¶7. (C) The British national reported that police from Ma-ekelawi deliberately tried to interfere with his court proceedings. After having been granted bail by the high court in the late afternoon one Tuesday, he was taken to the high court again on Wednesday morning, though he did not have an appointment. The police walked him around the court for two hours and then they returned to the jail. The British national feels that he was removed from the jail because his lawyer planned to come that morning with the paperwork to get him out on bail. Later that afternoon, he was taken against his will to the high court again, this time for a first hearing in his trial, which would make the bail he was granted the day before invalid. His lawyer was not informed of the trial and was not present. The British national feels the police deliberately dodged the lawyer. Comment -------------- ¶8. (C) There have long been "reports" about the Ethiopian Government's propensity to detain individuals extra-constitutionally and extra-judicially, and the tendency of law enforcement and security forces to delay and interfere in judicial proceedings and harass detainees. Unfortunately, ADDIS ABAB 00000737 003.2 OF 003 it is difficult to obtain corroborating information about the type of and extent of these practices, especially related to the allegations of torture. Individuals who may be subject to torture are most likely to be held indefinitely and incommunicado, and we have had minimal access to them to hear their stories. Our recent access to several former detainees, however, provides our most nuanced and in-depth insight into what has happened to at least some individuals. These reports underscore the continuing need to press the Ethiopian Government (GOE) to grant the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) access to all detention facilities in country and to maintain a dialogue with the GOE on human rights. To the extent possible, we will continue to gather reports from individuals who have spent time in Ethiopian prisons and detention facilities. End Comment. YAMAMOTO