Mr. Bekele Gerba’s Eyes Are Our Eyes!
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Update on the Overall Situation of the Oromo Political Prisoners: Medical Care, Health, and Others
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Addis Ababa/ Finfinne - 23 October 2020
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Mr. Bekele Gerba’s left eye is in a brink of permanent impairment. The Kaliti prison administration denied him access to his monthly medical appointments and a medication he used to receive once a month. This has worsened his eye condition. The prison officials claimed they didn’t receive an order from court that states he can see his private doctor.
Although the court gave an order that Bekele Gerba could get the care he needs, the prison officials only gave him access to prison clinic. Bekele refused the prison clinic, because he knows the type of care he needs is only found in two clinics in the entire country.
On the other hand, Shemsedin Teha who suffered from tortures, is in danger of losing his hearing. Washington hospital has referred his case to get further treatment from a higher clinic called Korean Hospital, located in Finfinne/Addis Ababa. Similar to Mr. Bekele, Shemsedin is also denied access to medical care after being transferred to Kaliti prison. Though the prison administration took him to a hospital for the first time this afternoon, he was not able to get his doctor.
Most of the political prisoners charged along with Jawar Mohammed’s (N-24) file, claimed that they are not getting the necessary medical care they need. For instance, a defendant named Mr. Gutu said, "we are treated like animals, they told us to get our treatment outside of the clinic on the field." He said they took him to see a doctor only once and they refused to take him to his ultrasound appointment.
Regarding the health and overall handling of prisoners, the defendents expressed that there is discrimination based on political, religous, identity backgrounds. For instance, they claimed the administration gives preferential treatment for other prisoners like prisoners from ‘Metec’ and ‘Baldras.’ On the other hand when Oromo political prisoners request to get medical care, they are often told they have not received permission from higher officials. It is self-evident that this discriminatory treatment is intentional and politically motivated.
The prison administration is not willing to address concerns of Oromo political prisoners. The prisoners and their families are expressing their discontent with the prison’s inconsistent and arbitrary decision of limiting the number of visitors to five and sometimes to two. Oromo political prisoners are treated unfairly based on their religion as well. To mention few cases, Mr. Mustaward Tamaam’s female relatives, though willing to go through the required security check, were prohibited from visiting him in prison merely because they wore niqab. Moreover, Mustawardi was also prohibited from making phone calls with his relatives living abroad, while other prisoners were allowed to have phone conversations with their relatives living abroad. Similarly, Mr. Yelemawork - one of Jawar Mohammed’s security guards - is also not allowed to have phone conversations with his family. After Jawar and et al. were transferred to Kaliti prison, most of the wall phone in prison were uninstalled.
It is obvious that the conditions of the prison is unsafe and can potentially expose prisoners to further dangerous situations. The location of the prison appears to be found on illegal grounds, built on a hidden location that looks like a slum. In other words, it seems like an unsanitary refugee camp. The construction of the jail is built without a plan, where the entrance and exit are unknown. The surrounding houses looks like temporary houses made of very thin steel, wood, mud and its electric power cords appear to be in hazardous and unsafe condition.
Finally, witnesses reported hearing a sound of gunfire in the prison around noon, today. According to members of the correctional officers, the shooting was accidental, and no other information has been known regarding injuries.
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October 23, 2020
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