Call for support to a singular woman political leader in Ethiopia

international | rights, freedoms and repression | other press Wednesday January 21, 2009 03:41 by Ethiopian Women Human Rights Alliance - Ethiopian Women Human Rights Alliance

A popular Ethiopian woman political leader in her early thirties has been thrown in prison for life under very harsh conditions. Her crime is speaking her mind on the legal process. As lawyers appear to shy away for fear of government reprisals, please give her your moral support.

Ms. Birtukan Mideksa is the only female political party leader in Ethiopia. A lawyer and former judge, Ms Mideksa leads the party called Unity for Democracy and Justice (UDJ).

A very popular leader, Ms. Birtukan Mideksa was jailed and sentenced for life imprisonment with other political leaders who had argued with the government over parliamentary seats they had won in the May 2005 elections. She were released two years later, along with her other colleagues, after elders intervened on their bahalf.

She has since reasserted her leadership of the UDJ. She has now been thrown back into prison and life imprisonment for speaking on the conditions of her release from prison. She is subjected to harsh prison conditions, but she intends to fight her case legally. It appears lthat lawyers are not coming forward to defend her, reportedly for fear of government reprisals.

Ms Birtuakn Mideksa is in her early thirties, and a single mother of a four year old daughter, now under the care of her grandmother. The rights of this brilliant, young political leader to speak on her experiences should not land her in jail. She needs all support and words of encouragement. She can be reached at the following address:

Birtukan Mideksa,
Qaliti Prison,
P. O. Box 2436
Qaliti,
Ethiopia.