Ethiopia: Political prisoners on hunger strike

Bekele Gerba

ESAT News (March 21, 2017)

High profile political prisoners languishing at the notorious Qilinto prison refused food brought to them by family in protest against abuses they are subjected to at the hands of prison administrators.

Bontu Bekele, daughter of Bekele Gerba, Vice Chair of the Oromo Federalist Congress, told the VOA Amharic service that her dad refused the food she took on Monday. Similarly, the wife of Dejene Tafa Secretary of OFC, Aselefech Mulat said she returned home with the food she took to the prison.

Lawyers for the prisoners also said they were unable to talk to their clients.

Prisoners say they were held in overcrowded rooms and prison administrators have confiscated books and other belongings.

Bekele Gerba et al were put behind bars no bogus charges of terrorism and falsely accused of inciting protests in the Oromo region last year.

The Ethiopian regime routinely detains dissidents and journalists cooking up charges of terrorism and  treason.