OromoProtests: 36 Oromo Prisoners of Conscience, Kept Incommunicado for over a Month, Transferred from Secret Prison to Maekelawi

July 22, 2014) – According to sources, the following Oromo political prisoners, who were arrested in connection with #OromoProtests over a month ago, had been transferred to the notorious Maekelawi prison recently. Before they were brought to Maekelawi, they had been apparently kept at the headquarters of the Ethiopian National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) – where they were subjected to severe torture. Their ordeal was so severe that many of them were carried on stretchers into their new prison cells at Maekelawi. One prisoner, who was there at Maekalawi before them, apparently said to his visiting families: “I thought I had the worst torture until I saw the latest Oromo students.’ In particular, a female student Chaltu Dhuguma from Wallaggaa University, has contracted a breast infection from injuries she had sustained at the NISS headquarters. Although these Oromos have been in detention since early May 2014, they have not been brought before a court, or charged. They have been denied the right to attorney, and family visits are restricted.

Jimmaa University
1. Falmata Barecha
2. Ebisa Daba
3. Lenjisa Alemayehu
4. Gamachu Bekele

Wallaggaa University
5. Mo’ibuli Misganu
6. Bekele Gonfa
7. Ratta Dinberu
8. Chaltuu Dhuguma

Adama University
9. Adugna Keesso
10. Bilisumma Damene

Haromaya University
11. Nimonaa Chali
12. Abebe Urgeessa
13. Bilisumma Gonfa
14. Magarsa Bekele
15. Jara (Ashenafi) Marga
16. Ararsa Legesse

Farmers from Wallaggaa
17. Aga Bekana
18. Dereje

Businessmen from Jimmaa
19. Mohammed Chali
20. Ahmed Abagaro
21. Hussien Abagaro

Borana
22. Galma Guyo
23. Korme Udesso
24. Roba Salaha
25. Aliyi

Qellam Wallaggaa Farmers
26. Shariif Usumaan
27. Daani’el Akkumaa
28. Aliyyii Tarfaa

Farmers from Jimmaa
29. Shiek Mohaammed Abbaa Garoo
30. Hassan Abdala

Farmers from East Wallaggaa
31. Afrika Kebede

Farmers from Western Shawaa
32. Tamire Chala

From Dire Dawa
33. Abdusemed Mohammed
34. Tofik Abdalla
35. Bariso Jamal
36. Abdii Kamal

from http://gadaa.net/