Detained Ethiopian opposition leader admitted to hospital

Aug 9, 2006 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ato Hailu Shawel, Chairman of the Ethiopian opposition Kinijit for Unity and Democracy Party (CUDP) which is the major opposition in Ethiopia, has been admitted to hospital today around 9:00 in the morning.

According to a press statement of Kinijit International Leadership Office, he has been taken to the Hospital from his Kality prison cell. His sugar level fluctuates from dropping to 40 and going up to 250-260.

He is now at the police hospital and is being monitored. Severe restriction of movement and exercise at the prison might have caused this problem. Members of the family are at the hospital trying to visit him, the CUDP said.

In related development, Ato Hailu has always been denied access to meet the international community visitors who come to prison for either fact finding mission or to analyze the situation of the prisoners. Three incidents can be cited here, the day Louis Michel visited the prisoners Ato Hailu was taken to hospital deliberately while he put his request long before that day. Fortunately, he insisted to go back to prison and was able to see him just before he left.

The Irish foreign Minister is another case where Hailu was taken to hospital, yesterday when Congressman Donald Payne went to visit the defendants again Hailu was taken to Hospital. Although Hailu was back from hospital around 11:00, the authorities told Payne that he is still in hospital.

The leader of Ethiopian opposition is detained since November 2005. Opposition leaders and newspaper editors under detention face treason charges, which carries the death penalty in Ethiopia, for their alleged roles in November unrest in which at least 46 people were killed.

(ST)