Ethiopian Prison Abuses Need Probe, Group Tells New Premier

(Bloomberg) -- Prisoners in Ethiopia's eastern Somali region have been arbitrarily detained and tortured for years, Human Rights Watch said, as it urged the Horn of Africa nation's new prime minister to order an investigation.

The allegations of abuse at the prison known as Jail Ogaden, which holds thousands of inmates mainly accused of links to a banned secessionist group, come after premier Abiy Ahmed told parliament in June that the country's use of torture is unconstitutional. New York-based Human Rights Watch cited interviews with 70 former prisoners conducted between 2011 and this year in its report published Thursday.

The head of the facility is under the command of the regional prison commissioner, who in turn reports to the Somali region's head of security. That official also heads a special police force known as the Liyu and reports to the region's president, Abdi Mohamoud Omar, according to Human Rights Watch.

Ethiopia, Africa's most populous nation after Nigeria, is a federal state designed to give autonomy to ethnic groups. Regional spokesman Idris Ismael Abdi and federal government Information Minister Ahmed Shide didn't immediately respond to two calls and two text messages seeking comment on Human Rights Watch's allegations.

Abuse Investigations

Fana Broadcasting Corp., which is controlled by the ruling party, reported Wednesday that the heads of unspecified detention centers had been fired for failing to respect prisoners' rights. Investigations into the abuses will be conducted and those responsible will face justice, Attorney General Berhanu Tsegaye was quoted as saying.

Abiy, who came to power in April, has enacted sweeping changes as he seeks to quell simmering political dissent and retain Ethiopia's momentum as the continent's fastest-growing economy. Thousands of detainees have been freed this year and he's begun peace overtures toward long-time foe Eritrea. In June, he told parliament that mistakes had been made since the ruling coalition took power in 1991.

“Our constitution doesn't allow it, but we have been torturing, causing bodily damages and even putting inmates in dark prison cells,” he said. “These were terrorist acts committed by us, and using force just to stay in power is a terrorist act too.”

Ethiopia's Somali region, which borders Somalia, is estimated to hold 8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves, which authorities have plans to pump and export. Most of the prisoners at Jail Ogaden are accused of being affiliated with the banned Ogaden National Liberation Front, which has fought an insurgency since 1984, but the majority never face charges or stand trial, Human Rights Watch said.

Abiy's cabinet submitted a resolution last week to lawmakers that, if ratified, would rescind the designation of ONLF and some others groups as terrorist organizations. Authorities also released an ONLF leader deported by Somalia to Ethiopia last year.

To contact the reporter on this story: Nizar Manek in Addis Ababa at nmanek2@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Paul Richardson at pmrichardson@bloomberg.net, Michael Gunn, Jacqueline Mackenzie

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