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Ethiopia rights body demands probe into opposition figure's killing

Bate Urgessa, a member of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), who was killed while visiting his hometown of Meki in Oromia, Ethiopia’s biggest region. (Photo: Addis Standard)

By Amina Wako | 10 Apr 2024

Bate Urgessa, a member of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), was reportedly killed while visiting his hometown of Meki in Oromia.

Ethiopia’s state-appointed rights commission has called for an investigation into the killing of Bate Urgessa, a prominent opposition figure who was recently released from prison.

According to reports, the 41-year-old member of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) was killed while visiting his hometown of Meki in Oromia, Ethiopia’s biggest region.

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Bate was a political officer with the OLF, a legally registered opposition group that boycotted elections in 2021.

Following his killing, under circumstances that were not immediately clear, Daniel Bekele, head of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, called for “a prompt, impartial, and full investigation by both the Oromia regional and Ethiopian federal authorities to hold perpetrators to account."

OLF Spokesperson Lemi Gemechu condemned the killing and demanded accountability.

"We urge the government to take immediate action to investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice."

The group issued the following statement:

Bate had been arrested multiple times, including in February alongside French journalist Antoine Galindo, on accusations of conspiring to create chaos in the country. He was released on bail last month.

The OLF has been involved in a long-standing conflict with the government, with the OLA splitting from the party in 2018. The OLA has been fighting federal forces in the Oromia region, leading to a complex and volatile situation.

The Oromo ethnic group, which accounts for about a third of Ethiopia's population, has faced crackdowns and massacres, fueling resentment and resistance.

Bate's killing has raised concerns about the safety of opposition figures and the ongoing conflict in the country, which the international community is watching the situation closely. It has urged the Ethiopian government to ensure a thorough investigation and punish those responsible.