Addis Abeba– The Yaya Gulele District Court in North Shewa Zone of the Oromia region has suspended its operations following the reported beating and intimidation of two judges by government security forces, according to the president of the district court.
The judges, identified as Jinenus Negasa and Kenenisa Kebebew, described facing threats in separate incidents.
Jinenus told the BBC that he was taken to a military camp where he experienced physical abuse. “Six people knocked me to the ground and beat my body,” he said. He added, “They hit my face with a metal belt, and when I was having difficulty breathing, they picked me up and returned me to the room.”
Kenenisa reported being detained a few hours after discussing his colleague’s case with local authorities and commanders. He said he avoided physical harm due to “intervention by the district administrator.”
Both judges have since left the district. As a result, the Yaya Gulele District Court, which had been operating with only two judges due to security concerns, has suspended its services, Zenebe Negash, the president of the district court, confirmed.
Zenebe described the actions against the judges as a “violation of judicial rights” and noted that discussions were ongoing with zonal authorities. “Those who committed this crime must be detained, and the rule of law must be upheld,” he said.
In a statement released today, the Oromia Supreme Court announced that it is “closely monitoring the assault case against Jinenus Negasa, a judge at the Yaya Gulele District Court in North Shewa Zone.”
The Supreme Court confirmed the assault and stated, “Discussions have been conducted at the regional level with relevant government bodies.” It added, “Directives have been sent to the zone to conduct investigations related to the incident,” noting that “the findings will be made public once the investigation is complete.”
Judges in the neighboring Amhara region have also reported facing detention and intimidation. The Amhara Region Judges’ Association has condemned the detention of over 35 judges in the restive region during the past year, stating that eight remain in detention. AS
