UK urged to press Ethiopia to free political prisoner

ESAT News (May 11, 2017)

Reprieve, an international human rights organization, urged  the UK government to demand the release of Andy Tsege, an Ethiopian born British father of three, kidnapped at the Yemeni airport in 2014 by Ethiopian regime security.

The call by Reprieve came at a time when the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Hailemariam Desalegn is in London to attend an international conference on Somalia.

“Boris Johnson is rolling out the red carpet for a man who has overseen the scandalous kidnap and rendition of a British dad – Andy Tsege, who now languishes on death row. Andy and his family have been through a horrifying ordeal at the hands of Hailemariam Desalegn’s government. The Government must use this rare chance to seek Andy’s urgent return home, before it’s too late,” said Harriet McCulloch – a deputy director at human rights organization Reprieve, which is assisting Mr Tsege’s family.

The Ethiopian regime handed down death sentences on Andy in absentia in 2009 based on politically motivated and cooke up charges.

Hailemariam Desalegn is attending the London Somalia Conference that began on Thursday, where he is expected to meet Secretary of State Boris Johnson and Prime Minister Theresa May.

The UK Government has refused to request the return of British man Andy Tsege to the UK, despite repeated requests from his family.