(DearKitty) British political prisoner's life threatened by Ethiopian dictatorshipRead the original story

From: Biniam Tekle <biniamt_at_dehai.org_at_dehai.org>
Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2016 20:44:01 -0400

Posted on September 7, 2016




https://dearkitty1.wordpress.com/2016/09/07/british-political-prisoners-life-threatened-by-ethiopian-dictatorship/


This video says about itself:
https://youtu.be/WWRG1-SF8r4

Brave Young Girl Fights For Her Activist Father To Be Freed From
Prison | Good Morning Britain

Broadcast on 2/06/2016

Menabe Andargachew wrote to the Prime Minister and the Queen to ask
for more help in getting her father released from prison in Ethiopa,
where he is being held on death row for criticising the government.

By Sofia Lotto Persio in Britain:

Government sued by daughter of man on Ethiopia‘s death row

Wednesday 7th September 2016

THE nine-year-old daughter of a British activist facing execution in
Ethiopia is suing the British government for failing to press for her
father’s release. Menabe Tsege’s case against the Foreign Office will
be heard at the High Court in London today.

Her lawyers began judicial proceedings over ministers’ handling of the
case of her father, Andargachew “Andy” Tsege, a British citizen and
exiled leader of Ethiopian opposition movement Ginbot 7.

He was kidnapped in June 2014 while transiting through Yemen and
illegally rendered to Ethiopia, where he had been sentenced to death
at a trial in absentia in 2009.

According to the lawyers, the illegality of Mr Tsege’s kidnapping,
detention and death sentence makes the British government’s stance
unlawful.
The Foreign Office has not requested his release but has merely asked
the Ethiopian government to allow him access to a lawyer.

International human rights organisation Reprieve warned that Mr Tsege
has no chance of receiving a fair trial.

“It’s clear that Andy faces no prospect of due process in Ethiopia, as
he’s already received an illegal in absentia death sentence which the
Ethiopian government has confirmed he has no hope of appealing,” said
Maya Foa, director of the death penalty team at Reprieve.

“The British government must not allow Andy’s abuse to go on any
longer. It must urgently call for his release, so that he can return
to his family in London. ”During a visit to Ethiopia in June, then
foreign secretary Philip Hammond said he had “received a commitment
from the prime minister that Mr Tsege will be allowed access to
independent legal advice,” but this promise has yet to be kept.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson published an open letter on August 26
pledging that the government would continue to request that Mr Tsege
be allowed access to legal representation and seek to ensure that the
death sentence is not carried out.

“Britain does not interfere in the legal systems of other countries by
challenging convictions,” Mr Johnson added.
Received on Wed Sep 07 2016 - 19:23:46 EDT

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