High Court Rules Yohannes Buayalew and Three Co-Defendants May Present Defense After Rejecting Government Amnesty Conditions
By STAFF WRITER
NAIROBI, KENYA — The Federal High Court has ruled that four defendants in the case file of former Amhara Regional Council member Yohannes Buayalew may present their defense after refusing to sign a government amnesty agreement.
The ruling applies to Yohannes Buayalew, Dr. Zerihun Bahriw, journalist Abay Zewdu, and Desalegn Ejigu. Their defense attorney, Solomon Gezahagn, confirmed to Addis Maleda that the High Court accepted their appeal during the session, granting them the legal right to defend themselves against the charges in upcoming court proceedings.
The case file originally involved 52 individuals. Of these, 36 were absent, while 16 appeared in court to follow proceedings. Twelve of the 16 present were released after signing the amnesty agreement presented by the federal government.
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) recently confirmed that over 600 prisoners, including Member of Parliament Christian Tadele, were released following amnesty and the discontinuation of charges. However, approximately 30 individuals—including prominent political figures and journalists—remained in custody after refusing to sign the conditional release documents.
Among those refusing the agreement are Yohannes Buayalew, Dr. Wondwesen Assefa, Dr. Sisay Awgichew, Teacher Meskerem Abera, journalist Dawit Begashaw, Gobeze Sisay, and Genet Asmamaw.
According to correspondence obtained by Addis Maleda, preconditions required for release under the EHRC-facilitated discussions included accepting criminal responsibility for the political crisis and casualties in the Amhara region, taking blame for extensive property damage, and acknowledging that advocating for Amhara identity and land rights constituted a crime.
The defendants formally rejected the conditions, maintaining that accepting such terms was legally, morally, and historically unacceptable. They stated that self-defense and advocating for constitutional and human rights cannot be categorized as criminal acts.
The High Court’s ruling opens the door for the four defendants to formally fight the state’s charges as trial proceedings resume.
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