EVN (September 3) — The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has taken steps to investigate the conditions of detainees who were arrested following the declaration of a state of emergency. In a statement released on Saturday, September 2, EHRC announced that it conducted visits to several detainees, including Christian Tadle, a member of the House of Representatives, who are held at Awash Arba military camp.

The commission revealed that it visited a total of 53 detainees, among whom were prominent figures such as Addis Ababa council member Dr. Kasa Teshager and Amhara regional council member Yohannes Buayalew. The detainees included journalists and members of the opposition party.

A group of five commission experts, led by Dr. Daniel Bekele, the Chief Commissioner of EHRC, undertook the visit. The inspection occurred at the Western Command military training camp of the Ministry of National Defense in the Awash Arba area on September 1.

Following the visit, EHRC disclosed that the detainees had been arrested and transported to the Awash Arba military camp between August 15 and August 24. This camp, commonly referred to as Awash Arba, is an informal temporary detention center within a military facility.

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission explained that the Federal Police cited overcrowding at the Federal Police Detention Center in Addis Ababa as the reason for relocating the detainees to the distant Awash Arba facility.

EHRC, as part of its standard procedure, conducted individual interviews with the detainees, thoroughly assessed their conditions, and engaged in discussions with relevant security officials.

According to the commission’s report, many detainees expressed their belief in their identity as members of the Amhara nation and followers of the Orthodox Tewahedo faith, seeing themselves as incarcerated due to their ethnic identity. Prior to their transfer to Awash Arba and during their arrests, they reported being subjected to ethnic slurs, verbal abuse, and threats. However, they stated that there had been no physical violence after they were taken into custody by the federal police.

Conversely, the police maintained that they were treating the detainees respecting their human rights, offering medical attention when needed, and arranging family visits. EHRC reported that individuals such as Christian Tadele and Yohannes Buayalew were transported to Addis Ababa for medical treatment and received appropriate care before being returned to detention.

Regarding family visits, EHRC noted that they could be facilitated, but most detainees declined the option due to the distance from their families. Instead, the police proposed enabling phone communication, which is currently in the process of being organized.

Despite these assurances, many detainees claimed that they had lost contact with their families since arriving at the temporary detention center. They also expressed concerns about the uncomfortable and hot conditions at Awash Arba, which they considered detrimental to their health and well-being.