News: Dozens detained for months without court appearances in Oromia’s Horo Guduru Wollega over alleged ties to OLA; families report abuse
Addis Abeba – More than 130 civilians have reportedly been detained for over seven months without court appearances at Obora Police Station in Amuru district in Horo Guduru Wollega Zone of the Oromia region on allegations of “having family ties with Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) members,” according to family members who spoke to Addis Standard.
Debela Tesfaye, a resident of Nafuro Kebel in Amuru district, reported that his father, Tesfaye Beyana, and mother, Dosa Tolera, were among those detained.
Debela recounted that his father was taken into custody on Saturday, 20 April, 2024, with local militias allegedly demanding that he “provide information about his son’s connection to the OLA.”
According to Debela, his father, who has no knowledge of his son’s phone number or whereabouts, is a farmer with no political involvement. He noted that his parents have now been held for seven months without a court appearance.
Debela further shared that his mother, Dosa Tolera, was detained on 08 November, 2024, after militia members entered their home and initially “asked her to prepare food.” After she complied but could not provide additional food, the militia detained her, allegedly subjecting her to “offensive insults and physical abuse in front of her children” before transferring her to Obora Police Station, where she remains without court proceedings.
Debela expressed concern for his father’s health, describing how his father, who suffers from high blood pressure, was initially “denied access to medical assistance” when his condition worsened. After reaching out to the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC), Debela reported that his father was eventually “allowed to receive basic medical care.”
Another resident, Dereje Tolosa, shared a similar account regarding his father, Tolosa Sori, who was detained on April 16, 2024, due to alleged ties between his son and the OLA.
Dereje described his 67-year-old father, a “peaceful resident with no political connections,” as being “beaten and mistreated” during his transfer to Obora Police Station, where he has been held for seven months without a court appearance. Dereje emphasized that his father has “no knowledge of his son’s current location” and added that his brother, as an adult, should be responsible for his own actions.
Dereje also reported that another detainee, Kena Tola, died in August 2024 from “severe injuries sustained during detention” and alleged denial of medical care.
Attempts by Addis Standard to reach Silashi Dasale, deputy administrator of Amuru district, and Commander Dhabasa, head of the Amuru district police, have been unsuccessful.
The Horo Guduru Wollega Zone has been a conflict zone amid militarized clashes between government forces and the OLA, exacerbated by the presence of Fano militias.
Addis Standard previously reported that at least 15 people lost their lives in an armed attack in Abe Dongoro district of Horo Guduru Wollega.
Residents of Horo Guduru Wollega Zone have also faced forced conscription under “Gachana Sirna,” a regional militia recruitment system that reportedly required farmers to undergo militia training to access agricultural supplies. AS
