Addis Abeba– Lidetu Ayalew, an Ethiopian opposition politician, has alleged that the government is preparing to seize his property and has imposed a travel ban preventing his return to Ethiopia. In a letter addressed to international human rights organizations and diplomatic missions, he stated that he is “on the verge of statelessness” and called for pressure on Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration to reverse what he described as an “arbitrary” decision.
“I have been informed that the government is preparing to seize my property, which I have acquired diligently throughout my life,” he wrote, adding that in a meeting of senior government officials, the prime minister “publicly stated that I will never be allowed to return to my home country.”
Lidetu said that on February 10, he attempted to board a flight to Ethiopia from Atlanta with a “confirmed flight ticket and valid Ethiopian passport” but was informed by Ethiopian Airlines that “the airline had been instructed by the government to prevent my return, as I am under an official travel ban.” He added that “this was later confirmed by Mr. Mesfin Tasew, the CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, who stated that the government had imposed the travel ban.”
He further claimed that the ban extends “not only to Ethiopian Airlines but also to all airlines flying to Ethiopia.” He described the actions as an effort to “silence all opposing voices” and accused the government of taking steps to “deprive me of my nationality” without legal basis.
Lidetu, who previously served as a member of parliament, said he was imprisoned for five months before leaving Ethiopia, despite “three separate court rulings declaring that I had committed no crime and ordering my release.” He added that he was “illegally prevented from traveling abroad for medical treatment” before finally leaving the country with “the support of human rights organizations” and after “another court ruling.”
He claimed that after his departure, the government launched a “smear campaign” accusing him of “engaging in terrorist activities and labeling me a fugitive.”
“If there has been any action to revoke my passport or deprive me of my nationality, I have not been informed, and my right to judicial review must be upheld,” he wrote.
Lidetu asserted that the government’s actions are “politically motivated” and intended to prevent him and others from “continuing a peaceful struggle and participating in the upcoming national elections.”
Lidetu stated that “no legal provision allows the Ethiopian government to prevent an Ethiopian citizen, with no dual citizenship and a valid Ethiopian passport, from re-entering the country,” adding that these actions “are in direct violation of the Ethiopian Constitution, international laws that Ethiopia has ratified, and various human rights treaties to which Ethiopia is a signatory.” AS
