The Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRC) said the over 150 university students, who were kidnapped while travelling from the country’s Amhara region to the capital, Addis Ababa, are still in the hands of captors.
EHRC said “some students were released after paying a ransom or for other reasons.” However, the exact number of those still held captive remains unclear.
EHRC’s report came after the Oromia regional state’s Communication Bureau said it has secured the release of 160 students who were abducted at Gebre Guracha in Oromia regional state, about 155 kilometers north of Addis Ababa.
The incident occurred on 3rd July, 2024 and so far some students have been released by paying the ransom or other unknown reasons. About 20 students have managed to escape from their captors.
Protests were held agianst the abductions.
The commission stated that “families of the released students have reported that their children were among those freed from the groups they were in,” but noted that comprehensive information about the total number of students still in captivity is lacking. said
The incident has been marked by conflicting reports. On 10 July, the Oromia Communication Service Bureau announced that 160 out of 167 kidnapped students had been freed through a government security operation.
One father of the kidnapped students disclosed that despite government assurances, the kidnappers continue to insist on a payment of one million birr for his daughter.
However, in a statement released on Saturday, the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) denied any involvement in the kidnapping. The group instead alleged that the incident was “orchestrated by members of the ruling Prosperity Party.”
The EHRC has called for action, urging, “The federal government must secure the release of kidnapped students and ensure that those responsible are held legally accountable.”
The organization has expressed concern over what it describes as an increase in kidnappings in Ethiopia, viewing it as a violation of citizens’ rights to life, physical safety, and freedom of movement.
MG/as/APA