The Federal High Court mandates Kaliti Prison authorities to relocate the prominent politician and journalist to standard quarters by Friday
By Staff Writer
(Nairobi, Kenya) — The Federal High Court of Ethiopia has ordered the Kaliti Federal Prison administration to immediately transfer prominent opposition politician Yohannes Buayalew and journalist Dawit Begashaw out of a punitive, high-security isolation facility known as the “Tanker” and relocate them to standard quarters upholding fundamental human rights and physical dignity.
Appearing before the 2nd Anti-Terrorism Bench, Yohannes Buayalew submitted a formal petition detailing severe human rights abuses, solitary confinement, and psychological torture following his forced transfer to the specialized detention wing on October 25, 2026. Addressing the court regarding his extreme confinement conditions, Yohannes testified that despite submitting multiple petitions over the past year regarding systemic mistreatment, no corrective action had been taken. He added that he had been completely denied sunlight and outdoor access for over a month.
During the hearing, the court rejected a motion by the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) requesting a 15-day extension for its independent monitoring team, proceeding instead to review an on-site investigative report submitted by the Federal Attorney General’s office pursuant to prior judicial directives. Concluding that current confinement conditions violate statutory standards, the court ordered prison authorities to complete Yohannes’s relocation and submit a formal compliance report by Friday, October 30, 2026.
The ruling coincides with procedural updates in the related case of journalist Dawit Begashaw before the 1st Anti-Terrorism Bench. Court records confirm that Dawit was transferred back to his original prison cell on October 26, 2026, following explicit judicial intervention overriding alternative placement proposals by prison officials. Concurrently, co-defendant and Member of Parliament Christian Tadele submitted an urgent supplementary petition regarding deteriorating security and health conditions within the facility, prompting the court to schedule a ruling on his application for tomorrow. Both defendants remain in custody after refusing to sign conditional release documents brokered during earlier mediation efforts, leading to their placement in the punitive facility.
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