Press Release

Luisa Morgantini, chair of the European Parliament (EP) Development Committee, and other MEPs met some representatives of the Ethiopian opposition and civil society concerning the actual situation of human rights in Ethiopia.

Following the meeting, Luisa Morgantini declared that:

"The human rights situation in Ethiopia deteriorates day after day. It's necessary that the European Commission and the European Council realize the risk of civil war in Ethiopia."

International community and European Institutions have to make pressure on the Ethiopian Government to stop persecutions and guarantee the respect of fundamental human rights and freedoms and to all the political forces not to resort to any kind of violence".

The representatives of Ethiopian opposition, in particular, denounced that opposition leaders, human rights defenders and journalists are harassed, humiliated, beaten, killed or detained on account of their non-violent political opinions and activities, so they must be considered as prisoners of conscience.

The exact number of the estimated thousands of detainees being held throughout the country is unknown. Actually, over 129 opposition's party leaders and civil rights activists are on trial on charges of treason and genocide, a charge that Amnesty International believes must be dropped because it does not remotely correspond to the internationally recognized definition of Genocide.

Often, such trials do not comply fully with recognised international standards of fair trial as set out in the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights, to which Ethiopia is a party, as declared and denounced by human rights organizations.

That's why "An immediate and unconditional release of opposition leaders, human rights Defenders and journalists is urgent -Luisa Morgantini said - Europe must use all its power to stop this injustice".

Stories of human rights violations committed against ordinary citizens are common in Ethiopia.

For example, the story of Mr. Brehane Mogese, a prominent lawyer who is currently under arbitrary detention in Ethiopia, following his meeting with Commissioner Louis Michel.ogese's detention is part of the systematic repression that has intensified in Ethiopian since May 2005.

Also the founder and former Chair of the Ethiopian Human Rights Council, Professor Mesfin Woldemariam, aged 75, has been detained since early November 2005 following opposition party demonstrations to protest peacefully against alleged fraud in Ethiopia's May elections.

" It's our task to prevent the fear that if the current violations of human rights are not redressed as a matter of utmost urgency and if the democratisation process is brought to a halt, the country may plunge into yet another civil war with disastrous consequences for its people and the entire region" .

Luisa Morgantini added that "a public hearing with the title 'One year after the elections in Ethiopia' will be organized on 15 May 2006 in Strasbourg, possibly promoted by different parliamentary committees" .

For more information, contact Luisa Morgantini office +3222845151 or +32484714862
lmorgantini@europarl.eu.int