Scholars at Risk calls for release Ethiopian professors

Feb 15, 2006

Scholars at Risk calls for the release of Ethiopian academics Dr. Mesfin Woldemariam, Dr. Berhanu Nega, Dr. Yacob Haile-Mariam and Dr. Befekadu Degefe. SAR urges individuals to contact Ethiopian and US officials to protest and urge the release of the detainees.

SAR learned in November 2005 that these individuals along with other leaders of the Ethiopian opposition party, the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), were among hundreds of people detained in Addis Ababa. Much of CUD’s leadership have been charged with treason and fomenting violence. Other charges include “attempts to commit genocide,” a capital offense. Reports indicate that these individuals have not acknowledged what they consider false charges and have refused to enter pleas to the court. They have had no access to legal counsel or medical attention while reports suggest ill-treatment in crowded, unsanitary conditions. All requests for their release on bail have been denied.

Amnesty International and other human rights groups have declared these individuals prisoners of conscience and joined an international campaign to win their release. The Financial Times reported in December that Western donors including the EU, were to withhold $375 million in aid because of the government crackdown on the opposition.

Dr. Mesfin Woldemariam is a respected geographer, lecturer and prominent human rights defender. In 2001, after leading a student discussion on human rights, he and Dr. Berhanu Nega were arrested. Both were released after a month pending a trial on the charges. With support from Harvard University's Scholars at Risk Committee, Dr. Mesfin joined Harvard faculty in 2002 as a visiting Scholars at Risk fellow for one year.

Dr. Berhanu Nega is an economist. He received a PhD from the New School for Social Research and lectures at Addis Ababa University. He also directs the Ethiopian Economic Policy Research Institute. Formerly, he was president of the Ethiopian Economic Association.

Dr. Yacob Haile-Mariam taught for more than 15 years at the School of Business at Norfolk State University (VA). He took sabbatical leave in 1996 to serve as lead prosecutor for the UN Genocide Tribunal in Arusha, Tanzania.

Dr. Befekadu Degefe is former professor of economics at Addis Ababa University where he taught for over twenty years while also contributing to the university’s Institute of Development Research. He has contributed extensive policy research and papers for the IMF, the World Bank, and various UN bodies. He is chair of the Ethiopian Economic Association.

Scholars at Risk requests that letters, emails and faxes of appeal be sent calling for the release of these individuals to:

His Excellency Meles Zenawi
Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Prime Minister's Office
P.O. Box 1031
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
[Salutation: Your Excellency]

SEND COPIES TO:

Ambassador Kassahun Ayele
Ethiopian Ambassador to the United States
Embassy of Ethiopia
3506 International Dr. NW
Washington, DC 20008
Tel (202)364-1200

Ambassador Vicki Huddleston
Chargé d'Affaires
United States Ambassador to Ethiopia
Entoto Street
P.O. Box 1014
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Fax: 011-251-11-517-40-01
usemaddis@state.gov

Scholars at Risk
c/o New York University
194 Mercer St. Rm 410
New York, NY USA
Tel: 212-998-2179
Fax 212-995-4402