• Three political prisoners remain in jail: Arena Party spokesperson

Founder of a Mekele-based website Geez Media said on Friday (February 1) that Tigray region security forces had threatened to arrest him a day after he published an eight-minute video appearance with an opposition member who complained about the political prisoners detained in the region.

Amanmichael Mesfin said security forces came to his office found in Mekelle, capital of the Tigray region and threatened to arrest him on Friday afternoon. He described it as an act of intimidation and a proof that Tigray region is still ruled by authorities who continue to stifle media freedom, despite a welcome reform in the country. He said there has been a previous attempt to hack his website and deliberate effort to deprive of financial support but this was the first time that he has come to receive such blatant threats, he revealed.

In the video appearance, Arena Tigray Party’s spokesperson, Amdom Gebreselassie was talking about how three members of Arena were still incarcerated in Tigray region, despite the law passed to grant amnesty to political prisoners in the country on July 2018. The prisoners are convicted of committing crimes and serving a prison sentence, though it was politically motivated, he said.

One of them Gebregziabher Tadesse, an organizer for the Arena, was arrested in 2010 accused of committing murder after a dead body was found in his house, the spokesperson stated, speaking in Tigrigna. “He was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. However, it was later proved that he was imprisoned for a murder he did not commit. The real killer was found and confessed to the crime and was given the same sentence, “Amdom said. However, Gebregziabher was not released yet because of order from politicians, he said.  The second one, Kirum Fesseha, a member of Arena, was arrested while distributing leaflets in the run-up for the 2015 election and he has been held in prison ever since, Amdom said. The third one, Fissehatsion Teklehaimanot run for local election at Workamba village few years ago, but later thrown to jail and faced a series charges.

Amdom complained that though the regional president, Debretsion Gebremichael promised to free the prisoners on multiple occasions, it has not yet been transformed into reality. He said Tigray has become the TPLF’s island prison and deemed it a treason not to free those prisoners while thousands of political prisoners walked free in the country.

Tigray region’s spokeswoman, Liya Kassa did not return Ethiopia Observer’s request for comment.

Image: Arena Tigray Party’s spokesperson, Amdom Gebreselassie

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