Bird strike lands Ethipian Boeing in Malta

An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 757-200 was forced to land in Malta yesterday following a bird strike while enroute to its destination in Ethiopia.
The Boeing with registration ET-ALZ, which left Rome Fiumicino Airport, in Italy, and was on its way to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, had 135 people on board. The crew decided to shut down the right engine when 140 nautical miles from Malta and decided to divert to Malta International Airport and requested emergency services to be on stand-by. Following repairs on the ground, flight ET-703 departed towards Addis Ababa reaching its destination with a delay of more than 10 hours.

Ethiopian immigrants protest at Safi Detention Center in Malta

A number of immigrants detained at Safi caused damage to the Detention Centre while protesting last night.
The incident occurred at 03:00h when a small group of irregular immigrants dislodged a number of stone slabs from a wall with the aim of escaping from their accommodation block. This activity was noted by an alert detention service officer who immediately raised the alarm and called for the assistance of his colleagues. The group of immigrants responded by throwing back broken stones, hot water and other objects at their disposal. The migrants were brought under control within a few minutes by the detention officers with the intervention of members of the police force from Zurrieq police station and the Rapid Intervention Unit. One detention service officer was slightly injured during this incident. The reason for the violent protest was not clear but the protesting migrants were mainly from Ethiopia. The incident is being investigated by the Police.

Ethiopia Supports Campaign Against International Court

By Marthe van der Wolf

ADDIS ABABA — Ethiopia, which currently chairs the African Union, says it supports the push by Kenya for African countries to jointly withdraw from the International Criminal Court. The ICC has put Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto on trial for alleged crimes against humanity, while President Uhuru Kenyatta is scheduled to go on trial in November.
Ethiopia says it will support Kenya’s campaign to find a continent-wide stance on possibly pulling out of the ICC. The issue is likely to be discussed at the African Union summit next month in Addis Ababa. Government spokesman Redwan Hussein says Ethiopia feels that the ICC singles out African leaders. “We never appreciated what the ICC has been doing, particularly when it comes African leaders, and its belittling and it’s disparaging the African leadership. So we stand by the Kenyan people and we stand by the Kenyan government,” said Redwan Hussein.
All official investigations of the ICC since it was established in 2002 have been in African countries. That fact has prompted some African officials to refer to the court as a tool of Western powers. Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn accused the ICC earlier this year of race hunting. The ICC appointed Fatou Bensouda from Gambia last year as its new chief prosecutor. She has stated repeatedly that most cases are opened in cooperation with African countries, and dismissed the idea that the ICC is singling out African leaders. However, Redwan believes Ethiopia will not need to actively push other African countries to take up its position during the October summit. “They share the take that we have with ICC, so they don’t need Ethiopia’s urging or pushing them to take whatever action, because the feeling is already there in each country,” he said. Kenyan lawmakers voted earlier this month to withdraw from the ICC, a decision that will take at least a year to take effect. In the meantime, Kenyan Attorney General Githu Muigai says his office is cooperating with the ICC. "From this office, I have filed documents with the court, when I have been requested to do so, demonstrating we are supporting the court in its work, and we recognize the court is an independent judicial organ," said Muigai. President Kenyatta and Deputy President Ruto are being tried on charges of orchestrating the ethnic violence that swept across the country after the disputed 2007 presidential election. Both men have denied the charges, and at the start of his trial this week, Ruto pleaded not guilty.

CREW is gravely concerned about the imprisoned Ethiopian journalist, Reeyot Alemu’s health

For Immediate Release
 Press Release on imprisoned journalist, Reeyot Alemu

The Center for the Rights of Ethiopian Women (CREW) is gravely concerned about the imprisoned Ethiopian journalist, Reeyot Alemu’s health condition and allegations of mistreatment.

Imprisoned Ethiopian journalist Reeyot Alemu has been named the winner of the 2013 UNESCO-Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.

Reeyot Alemu, 32, is an internationally honored female journalist who has been an outspoken critic of the Ethiopian government’s human rights violations. She was arrested 2 years ago by the Ethiopian government and sentenced to 14 years in prison. Even though Reeyot Alemu’s charges have been reduced to 5 years, there is serious concern about her health and allegations of mistreatment while she is incarcerated. Some months ago Reeyot was placed in solitary confinement for 2weeks. A tumor in her breast remains untreated because she is denied access to medical care. In July 2013, a delegation of the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights was denied access to Kaliti prison to meet with Reeyot Alemu.
In August 2013, it was reported that Reeyot wrote an open letter from prison criticizing Ethiopia’s Anti-Terrorism Proclamation and the International Women’s Media Foundation published it. Recent reports from Ethiopia have revealed that Reeyot Alemu was on hunger strike protesting mistreatment at her cell in Kaliti prison. In order to punish her for her hunger strike, the prison officials denied her all visitations by her relatives and friends. They later allowed visitation by all except by her fiancé and her younger sister. According to CPJ she has stopped the hunger strike after five days on Sunday, September 15th.
Reeyot is one among many journalists and political prisoners who are languishing in the notorious Kaliti prison. In 2012, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) named Ethiopia as one of the ten countries where press freedom suffered the most.
In 2012, the International Women’s Media Foundation honored Reeyot Alemu with its Courage in Journalism Award. In May 2013, UNESCO recognized Reeyot Alemu’s commitment to freedom of expression with its Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.
CREW asks that the Ethiopian government ensure Reeyot’s safety and allow her access to medical treatment. Furthermore, visitation rights by her friends and family members as well as international human rights organizations should be allowed.
CREW appeals to all international human rights organizations to highlight Reeyot Alemu’s case and continue to advocate for her release from prison.
       Email: ethiowomen@gmail.com