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PRESS
RELEASE
OGADEN:
EHIOPIAN COURT’S SENTENCES ARE MOCKERY OF
JUSTCE
On May 12th 2008, Suldan Fowsi Mohamed Ali,
a prominent community elder and a peace activist was sentenced
to 22 years in prison by an Ethiopian regional court in Jigjiga.
On the same date Haji Ibrahim Had, a well-known
businessman and financier of an anti- ONLF clan based militia
was also sentenced to 16 years in prison by the same court.
The two detainees will be transferred to Zuway prison, in Amhara
region.
On August 28th 2007, in Jigjiga, Ethiopian security forces
and the local police collected Suldan Fowsi Mohamed
Ali from his residence in the dead of night. And then
he was transferred to an underground military detention in Jigjiga.
He was among a number of outspoken critics of the Ethiopian
government’s policies in the Ogaden who were arrested before
the arrival of the UN fact-finding mission in the region. He
has been brought before the regional court several times. Each
time, He was taken back to his cell for lack of evidence. (See
Ogaden: Ethiopian Government Forces: Massacre, displace and
starve out the civilian population with impunity ref: OHRC/AR/07).
Recently, Suldan Fowsi was charged with masterminding
of two hand grenade attacks which took place in Dhagaxbuur and
Jigjiga, on May 28th 2007 and collaborating with the bandits,
” a term Ethiopian authorities frequently use to designate members
of ONLF fighters.
Suldan Fowsi was a member of a group of Ogaden
elders who were mandated by the Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles
Zenawi to negotiate with the ONLF, on June 29th 2005. It should
be noted that he was the mediator who successfully negotiated
the release of the Chinese Workers who were taken by ONLF fighters,
on 24th April 2007, in the Cobolle oil exploration field attack.
It is worthwhile to mention that Suldan Fowsi
is a cousin of Bashir Ahmed Makhtal, the Canadian
citizen who was handed over to the Ethiopian government by Kenya
at Mogadishu airport, on January 21st 2007.Since then Bashir
is being held incommunicado without charge or trial. (See OHRC’s
press release Kenya: Illegally arrests and renders Ogaden Somalis
to Ethiopian military in Somalia ref: OHRC/PRO/0207).
Suldan Fowsi’s family members and relatives
were subjected to constant harassment, intimidation, arbitrary
detention and extensive torture. Those who are not in detention
went into hiding for fear of their lives.
Haji Ibrahim Had was a sworn enemy of the
ONLF. After the killing of his elder brother accidentally by
the ONLF, he formed an anti-ONLF militia with the help of the
Ethiopian Government. His militia cooperated and collaborated
with the Ethiopian Armed Forces to undermine the ONLF. His younger
brother was killed in one of the many engagements between his
militia and ONLF fighters.
Haji Ibrahim Had was detained in December
2007. He was accused of collaborating with the bandits, facilitating
the Cobolle operation and having secret arrangements with the
ONLF. He was brought before the regional court, in Jigjiga,
on May 07th 2008, and then was taken back to his cell for lack
of evidence and witnesses.
The two detainees were maltreated and denied medical care during
their detention.
On April 04th 2008, when Mr. Abdi Mohamoud Omar,
the head of the Somali Regional State Security and Justice Bureau,
verbally attacked, Suldan Fowsi Mohamed Ali
with a hateful and offensive language, during an interview with
VOA Somali Section, Mr. Omar then confirmed
Fowsi’s eventual condemnation. Since that day court’s ruling
had become a fait accoompli.
Suldan Fowsi and Haji Ibrahim Had
pleaded not guilty. But regional court’s sentence was 22 and
16 years' imprisonment respectively. They were not informed
the particulars of the charges and reasons for their arrest,
have not had access to any evidence presented against them,
and were not represented by a proper legal counsel.
Hence, they did not receive fair trial in accordance with recognized
international standards. On the basis of available information
about their cases, the OHRC believes that there was not credible
evidence for their conviction, and their trial was a mockery
of justice, and considers Suldan Fowsi prisoner of conscience
and Haji Ibrahim Had a victim of personal vendetta.
To the best of the Ogaden Human Rights Committee’s knowledge,
Suldan Fowsi was not involved in any illegal
or violent activity. He was a respectable community elder and
peace activist with no political affiliation whatsoever. Haji
Ibrahim Had was a notable businessman, an anti-ONLF
and an ally of the Ethiopian Government
The Ogaden Human Rights Committee is concerned about their
safety and well-being and opposes their transfer to the notorious
Zuway prison. The OHRC condemns the verdict of the Jigjiga Kangaroo
Court and demands their unconditional and immediate release.
Ogaden Human Rights Committee
www.ogadenrights.org
E-mail: ohrc@ogadenrights.org
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