Yalemzewd Bekele, a lawyer working for the European Commission in the Ethiopian
capital, Addis Ababa, was arrested on the morning of 19 October by the
Ethiopian authorities, while trying to cross the border to Kenya. Amnesty
International is concerned that she is at high risk of torture or other
ill-treatment.

It is believed that Yalemzewd Bekele was accompanied by another person at the
time of her arrest. The identity and whereabouts of this person are not known.
Yalemzewd Bekele appears to have been arrested in connection with the
publication and distribution by the political opposition Coalition for Unity
and Democracy (CUD) of a calendar of action for non-violent civil disobedience.
On 5 October, Alemayehu Fantu, the owner of a chain of supermarkets in Addis
Ababa, was also arrested in connection with the calendar. Shortly after
Alemayehu Fantu was detained, the Ethiopian authorities issued an arrest
warrant against Yalemzewd Bekele. There are clear indications that Alemayehu
Fantu was tortured in detention at Woreda 8 police station in the Gulele
district of Addis Ababa (see UA 279/06, AFR 25/032/2006, 13 October 2006).
Three others arrested at the same time, reportedly in connection with the
calendar, are believed to have died after being tortured in custody. Amnesty
International is extremely concerned that Alemayehu Fantu may have named
Yalemzewd Bekele as being involved with the CUD calendar while he was being
tortured, and that she may be tortured in detention.

Yalemzewd Bekele began working for the European Commission in Addis Ababa in
2004. The projects on which she works include projects related to human rights
and civil society. Yalemzewd Bekele is a also a prominent civil rights lawyer
who volunteered with the Ethiopian Women Lawyers' Association (EWLA), a
prominent women's rights organization. She has been an active campaigner for
women's rights in Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The CUD published their calendar of action for civil disobedience on 11
September, to coincide with the Ethiopian New Year. The Ethiopian government
reportedly set up a special task force to investigate the publication and
distribution of the calendar. This investigation led to the arrest of Alemayehu
Fantu and at least three others, who are reported to have died in custody. All
those arrested were taken to the recently re-opened Woreda 8 police station,
which is also used to hold new CUD detainees. There have also been other
reports of police beating people caught distributing or possessing the
calendar.

In November 2005, the Ethiopian forces arrested several thousand suspected
government opponents from the CUD and other opposition parties following
demonstrations in June and November 2005 in Addis Ababa and other towns. They
were protesting against alleged fraud in the parliamentary elections of 15 May
2005. During the demonstrations, the security forces shot dead at least 86
people and wounded over 200 others. Seven policemen were killed by mobs.

The distribution of the calendar for civil disobedience follows the publication
of a book by Dr Berhanu Negga, one of the leaders of the CUD arrested in
November 2005, who is on trial along with 75 others in Addis Ababa (see UA
284/05, AFR 25/017/2005, 2 November 2005, and follow-ups). The book was written
by Dr Berhanu Negga in Kaliti prison, and was smuggled out of the prison in
August 2006. The book has been widely circulated on the web and in print since
then.

ACTIONS REQUESTED:

Please write to the Ethiopian authorities urging them to:

i. guarantee under all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Ms. Yalemzewd Bekele, as well as of all human rights defenders in Ethiopia;

ii. release her immediately and unconditionally, as her detention is arbitrary, as well as any other person that would be arbitrarily detained in relation to her case;

iii. put an end to any kind of harassment, including on the judicial level, against Ms. Bekele, as well as against all other human rights defenders;

iv. conform with the provisions of the Declaration on Humans Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, in particular article 1, which states that “everyone has the right, individually or in association with others, to promote the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels”, and article 12.2, which provides that “the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually or in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration”;

v. more generally, ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in Ethiopia in accordance with international human rights standards.

ADDRESSES :

 Mr. Girma Woldegiorgis, President of the Republic, The Presidency, PO Box 23698, Addis Ababa
 Mr Assefa Kesito, Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, PO Box 1370, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia ; Fax: + 251 11 5517775 / + 251 11 5520874
 Mr Seyoum Mesfin, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PO Box 393, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia ; Fax: + 251 11 5514300 ; Email: mfa.addis@telecom.net.et
 Mr. Meles Zenawi, Prime Minister, Office of the Prime Minister, PO Box 1031, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia;
 Mr. Tim Clarke, Head of Delegation, Delegation of the European Commission to Ethiopia, P. O. Box 5570, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia ; Fax: + 251 11 6612877 ; Email: delegation-ethiopia@cec.eu.int
 Mr. Fisseha Yimer, Permanent Mission of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the United Nations in Geneva, 56 rue de Moillebeau, CP 338, 1211 Genève 19, Switzerland. Fax: + 41 22 919 70 29-. Email : mission.ethiopia@ties.itu.int; info@ethiopiamission.ch

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.