Seven Senior Oromo Liberation Front Leaders Released After Over Four Years of Detention

KT News /05-09-2024/: Seven senior figures of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) were released today after enduring more than four years of detention without formal charges, despite repeated judicial orders for their release, according to OLF spokesperson Lemi Gemechu.

The individuals released are Abdi Regassa, Lemi Begna, Dawit Abdeta, Michael Boran, Kenessa Ayana, Gada Oljira, and Gada Gabisa. They had been held by Oromia police since 2020 and 2021.

A legal representative for the detainees confirmed to Addis Standard that their release was not the result of a new judicial mandate, as prior court orders had already mandated their freedom on multiple occasions. Rather, the release was initiated by the police, who acted after the detainees had been cleared of all charges.

Gemechu explained that the detainees were first notified to arrange bail before their transfer from the Burayu detention center to the Oromia Police Commission. Following the release decision, they were returned to Burayu to finalize the necessary procedures.

The OLF leaders were detained on various allegations, including involvement in the murder of a police officer and the assassination of prominent Oromo singer and activist Hachalu Hundessa. Despite multiple court rulings exonerating them due to insufficient evidence, the detainees remained in custody. Their frequent transfers between detention facilities, often without notification to their families or legal representatives, exacerbated the distress of their loved ones.

Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, had denounced these prolonged detentions and the lack of transparency in the detainees' treatment. Gemechu attributed their eventual release to sustained advocacy from the OLF, human rights organizations, political parties, and public pressure.