The Abiy Ahmed Regime of Ethiopia Holds 3-Year-Old Child and Mother Hostage in Amhara Region

🚨▶️#UPDATE: On August 18th, Prosperity Party regime forces abducted the spouse and 3 year old child of former local police chief Fano Nigussie Shitaw in North Shewa Zone (Amhara Region, Ethiopia). Nigussie's spouse, Memhir Mazengia Demeke, and toddler, Nigus Nigussie, are believed to be held hostage in a makeshift military camp (Arbegnoch School) in Alem Ketema town.

🚨▶️#መረጃ፡ ነሃሴ 12 ቀን የብልጽግና ፓርቲ ታጣቂዎች በሰሜን ሸዋ ዞን (አማራ ክልል ኢትዮጵያ) የቀድሞ የአካባቢው ፖሊስ አዛዥ የነበረውን ፋኖ ንጉሴ ሽታው የትዳር ጓደኛ እና የ3 ዓመት ሕፃን ልጅ አፍነው ወሰደዋል። የንጉሴ ባለቤት መምህር ማዘንጊያ ደመቀ እና ሕፃን ንጉስ ንጉሴ በዓለም ከተማ በሚገኘው ጊዜያዊ ወታደራዊ ካምፕ (አርበኞች ት/ቤት) ተይዘው እንደሚገኙ ተሰምቷል።

Transcript of Interview:

[Nigussie (N)] I used to be a security (police) official

Since this has been a terrible regime and I did not like working for it, it has now been over a year since I left the police and joined this structure [Fano]

After persisting through all these, on August 18 (Nehase 12) at around 5 pm they abducted my wife and child from their home [they remain in captivity even now]

They are saying, "if he doesn't come we will kill his son. Since he (Negussie) turned his gun on us we will turn our gun on his son."

My child is only 3 years of age and my wife is originally from Gojjam [south west Amhara] so she has no kin here to visit her

So there is no one to provide her lunch or dinner she is suffering there

[N] My name is Fano Nigussie Shitaw

[I] Ok - earlier you mentioned that your spouse and son had been abducted - could you please tell me your son's full name and age and your spouse's full name?

[N] My spouse's name is Memhir Mazengia Demeke

My son's name is Nigus Nigussie

[I] What is your son's age?

[N] He is 3 years old

[I] 3 years old - and who abducted them? Was it the ENDF, or maybe police or the militias?

[N] They worked together to abduct them and that includes involvement from the entire woreda political administration

The ENDF and the peace and security force are all involved - including the militia division

[I] Ok - and how many days has it been since they were abducted?

[N] Today marks the 14th day

[I] 14 days - and what was the reason for their abduction? Did they send you a message about this somehow? Was it related to your involvement in the struggle?

[N] Yes they told me that I was a former police member and was obligated to turn myself in and hand over my weapon which was their property

They said, "if you fail to turn yourself in, we will turn our guns on your child Nigus. So you better come to us before that happens or we will see you at the funeral

[I] Do you know the names of the individuals who said this to you?

- [N] Colonel Mekuriya

- [I] What is his position?

[N] I believe he is an ENDF ranking officer and their main commander in the area

- [I] Now where -

- [N] May I continue?

- [I] Please proceed

[N] The second was ranked Shaleqa [what was his name again]

His name was Wubishet - that is Shaleqa Wubishet

[I] Is he also in the ENDF?

[N] Yes he too is in the ENDF and another was Sergeant Ashebir Kassa

- [I] Now where -

- [N] The last one is a police officer

- [I] Ok the last one

[I] Are you aware of where it is they are being held? For instance are they being detained in a police station?

[N] They have been held up until now in an ENDF camp

- [I] An ENDF camp and where -

- [N] There also has been no formal letter from a court and neither is there any formal crime they are being charged with. They are innocent. They couldn't find any crime on them. The only reason they arrested them is because of me

Even today, they went to my family members homes in a Diriba Kebele and stole over 64000 birr in cash from my relatives

They went there when there was no one around and destroyed most of the property

[I] And this is being done by the ENDF?

[N] It was the ENDF, militia, and police that went there today

They apparently received information they could find me there, but there was no one there not even my relatives, yet they broke into two houses destroying everything inside and stole 64000 birr in cash

Afterwards, the community has been grieving, they're in disbelief at what they're seeing

[I] When did they do this?

[N] They did this today (August 30, 2024) - today at around 10:30 am

[I] Ok - are you aware of the exact location of the ENDF camp where your spouse and child are being held?

[N] They are being held in Merhabete Woreda at the ENDF camp located in the Arbegnoch School

[I] Ok now is there a message you would like to relay to the international community, foreign governments and human rights defenders?

[N] First and foremost my spouse and child are innocent people and their rights should be respected, which means if they are formerly accused of any criminal wrongdoing they should be tried in front of a court

[I] Are you aware of the conditions under which your spouse and child are being held? At times detainees can be subject to various abuses so are you aware of any such things?

[N] I don't know what kind of state they are currently in

[Inaudible]

Furthermore they have not even received a change of clothes

I do not know if they are dead or alive

But relatives take food to the camp and request the food to be given to Mazengia (wife), but they have not received any messages of response from her

The way the regime is showing its defeat is when you see them punishing a child and a mother for the alleged crimes of a father. If there is anyone that should be questioned for my actions, it is myself Nigussie

They can look for me, and if they capture me, they can hang me or even mutilate my body. It's because of my former bosses (police) that they took my family

Therefore, I am calling for their basic human rights to be respected

Next, they should be relocated from the military camp which is unsuitable for a child to sleep in and if necessary be moved to a formal court. Parts of his (child) body are swelling

There are reports from someone who was in the military camp last week that he (child) is not feeling well, that parts of his body are swelling. That he is crying and screaming. That he is very tormented

They are also terrorizing my wife. Telling her, "we will kill your child if you don't bring your husband"

I would be happy if this got the attention it deserves as quickly as possible