Respect for Article 21 of the constitution!
The 1994 constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia provides in its fundamental rights and freedoms section, specifically under Article 21, the following regarding the rights of persons held in custody and convicted prisoners: 1. All persons held in custody and persons imprisoned upon conviction and sentencing have the right to treatments respecting their human dignity; 2. All persons shall have the opportunity to communicate with, and to be visited by their spouses or partners, close relatives, friends, religious councilors, medical doctors and their legal counsel. The responsibility of ensuring that the rights set out under Article 21 are fully respected primarily lies on the government. Several prisoners and their families have claimed over the years that these rights are routinely violated. These claims have received extensive coverage even by international human rights activists. This week saw yet another claim lodged by the mother of TemesgenDessaleg