News Update: Family says security forces transfer Bekele to Armed Forces Hospital “forcibly”

By Siyanne Mekonnen @siyaanne 

Addis Abeba, February 16/2021 – Samuel Bekele, son of Bekele Gerba, who en route to Landamark General Hospital this morning, said security forces have instead transferred his father to the Armed Forces General Hospital, commonly known as Torhayloch Hospital, he told Addis Standard. “They forcibly took him to Torhayloch Hospital. He is by himself,” Samule said in a text message.  

On February 9, 2021, based on the an appeal made by the Kality prison administration, the court said prisoners can be taken to Tor Hailoch hospital if private hospital they prefer posed danger to the defendants, the public and the government.

#Ethiopia: #BekeleGerba transferred to a private hospital after court upholds earlier decision https://t.co/7NzFFlZwoP After defense lawyers mount a petition, the Fed. Court has upheld its earlier ruling for the prisoners to be taken to a private hospital, AS' @Siyaanne reports.

— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) February 16, 2021

However, a letter signed by judges at the Federal High Court, Lideta Branch, Anti-Terrorism and Constitutional Issues Bench, and reviewed by Addis Standard overruled that and upheld the court’s earlier decision that the prisoners: Jawar Mohammed, Bekele Gerba, Hamza Adane and Dejene Tafa to be treated at Landmark General Hospital.

It was based on that ruling that security forces, accompanied by medical team led by Dr. Ililli Jamal, took Bekele Gerba from Kality prison. But half way en route to Landmark Hospital, Bekele was taken instead to Torhayloch Hospital.

A receptionist at Landmark Hospital told Addis Standard that the patient by the said name has not checked in; the emergency department at Torhayloch Hospital said they didn’t know while the outpatient department hanged up the phone without responding to the question if the patient was admitted to the hospital.    

The medical team is unreachable as of the writing of this news. AS