OLF Demands Immediate Release of Oromo Political Prisoners and Access to Medical Treatments and Denounce for Intentional Exposition of Prisoners to Communicable Diseases
Statement of the Oromo Liberation Front – 15, March 2022
The Prosperity Party ruling group of Ethiopia has jailed the OLF leaders and members not for any crime committed but just for their political views and for promoting alternative democratic solution to the Ethiopian political crises.
Currently we observe that many OLF leaders and senior members in prisons are infected by communicable diseases. The concrete evidence is the Burayu Prison in Finfinne (Addis Abeba). The prisoners in Burayu Prison are subject to Hepatitis B disease. Mr. Batte Urgessa was affected by Hepatitis B and seriously sick. He had been suffering for long time denied of early medical treatment and now in a live threatening condition. Although he had been released recently for medical treatment after he became very weak, we are hoping that his live can be saved though medical professional are telling family that he is in serious condition.
Two other Oromo prisoners who were in the same prison cell with Mr. Batte are Mr. Kennesa Ayana and Mr. Gada Gabbisa. They had been in close contact with Mr. Batte in a small and suffocated prison cell. Few days ago, they went to hospital for other health problems but was unfortunately diagnosed with Hepatitis B disease. They need immediate medical treatment, but Burayu Police administration is keeping them in prison. In addition, other OLF prisoners: Mr. Abdi Regassa, Mickael Boran, Dawit Abdata, Gadaa Oljirra, Gammachu Ayana and Lammi Beenya, who were in the same prison cell with Mr. Batte, may also have been infected with Hepatitis B.
The Oromo Liberation Front demands the release of these political prisoners and asks the authorities to allow them immediate medical treatments. Currently, thousands of Oromo political prisoners are languishing in several detention centers in the country. Most of them are subject to physical and mental tortures and exposed to various type of communicable diseases. The OLF believe that this mistreatment of prisoners is particularly targeting OLF leaders and members, and it is an intentional act by the ruling group to eliminate Oromo political leaders and members systematically and gradually; and weaken the OLF as an institution.
We want to stress that the ruling prosperity party is accountable for lives of Oromo political prisoners. We would like to call that the Oromo people, Oromia citizens and the Ethiopian peoples continue to put pressure on the ruling Prosperity Party release these political prisoners and allow them immediate medical treatment. Also, we ask the international community and international human rights organizations to urge the Ethiopian ruling group to treat political prisoners as per the basic prisoners’ rights and standards particularly rights to access medical treatment.
Finally, the OLF appreciate those Oromos individuals and institutions inside and outside the country who mobilized resources for the medical treatment of Mr. Batte Urgessa and request you to do similar support for other Oromo prisoners whose lives are at risk.
Victory to the Masses!
Oromo Liberation Front
March 16, 2022 Finfinne