Pressure grows on Yemen to release Ethiopian opposition group top official; G7 to give a presser on ESAT today

Pressure has grown on the Yemeni government from all fronts to release Andargachew Tsegie, the Secretary General of the Ethiopian opposition movement, Ginbot 7 , was detained while transiting via Sanaa on June 23, 2014. Hundreds of Ethiopians residing in Washington DC, U.S.A. have been phoning the Yemeni Embassy in the U.S. and calling them to release Andargachew. “The Yemeni Embassy personnel have been busy responding these calls but later today have been began picking and hanging the phone due to the large volume.”

Similarly, Ethiopians have been sending the following message on social media “p/s call 202 965 4760 or fax 202 337 8113 or email- ambassador@ yemenembassy.org to state that you are calling to express your concerns about the security of Mr. Tsige & to request his immediate and unconditional release.”

It has also been reported that Ethiopians living in different parts of the world are to stage demonstrations outside Yemeni Embassies in Europe, Asia and America calling Yemen and the president of Yemen Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi to “Immediately release Ethiopian opposition politician and activist Andargachew Tsige”.

In the following days, Yemeni Embassies around the world will be crowded by Ethiopian protesters who are calling for the immediate release of the Ethiopian human rights fighter, Andargachew by stressing that “any attempt of extraditing him to Ethiopia is against international law and that his life would be endangered” said a U.S. based activist in an online interview held in the Internet based Voice Chat Room platform, Paltalk.

The activist added and said “whatever kind of agreement the current regime in Ethiopia and Yemen may have should be considered with serious caution at this time as the life of a very important politician and activist is at stake. Yemen should know that it would be internationally responsible if it commits any torture or extradition on this international recognized politician”.

The activist finally reminded Yemeni authorities that in this Ramadan season, all believers should be ready to forgive and free prisoners and those that have repented. Andargachew should not be in the first place detained in the Ramadan season” he said.

Obang Metho, Head of the Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia (SMNE), on his part posted the following on his official Facebook page,

I am disappointed and dismayed by the Illegal Detention of Ato Andargachew Tsige by the Yemen authority. We in the SMNE are very concerned about the well being of Andargachew Tsige. We are doing everything we can to urge the Yemen authority to release him immediately. We are also calling on Amnesty International, other human rights organizations and donor countries to intervene on behalf of Ato Andargachew in order to exert pressure on the Yemen regime to release him immediately. He has never committed any crime.

Activists and human rights groups are also asking the U.S. and British governments to put pressure on Yemen to release Andargachew. The permanent residence of Andargachew is the United Kingdom (U.K.).

Meanwhile, De Birhan has learnt that officials of the Ginbot 7 Movement are going to give a press conference in few hours. The presser will be transmitted on ESAT Television. The leaders are expected to give explanations regarding Andargachew’s arrest and future actions.

source Ethioexplorer