Ethiopia
Somalis held: thousandsheld at any time in Jijiga Central Prison (Jail Ogaden) between 2011 and 2017, by former prisoners' estimates; most are Ethiopian Somalis, alongside Somali nationals whose number OPR has not documented
Ethiopia holds Somalis in two senses: Somali nationals detained in Addis Ababa and the border regions, and Ethiopia's own Somali Region, whose regional prison in Jijiga — Jail Ogaden — became one of the most brutal detention sites in the Horn. Somalia itself deported the prison's former head to Ethiopia in 2019.
What is known
2011–2018
Human Rights Watch documented torture, rape, starvation and deaths in Jail Ogaden (Jijiga Central Prison), based on interviews with 70 former prisoners, 32 of them women. Almost none had been charged or seen a court; former judges said regional officials pressured them to sentence detainees they had never seen. Children were born in the prison, some conceived through rape by guards. The Liyu police, reporting to regional president Abdi Illey, were implicated. hrw.org
2018
Ethiopia's new government under Abiy Ahmed acknowledged torture by security services; the Somali Region's information minister called the report fabricated. voanews.com
May 2019
Somalia arrested the former head of Jail Ogaden in Mogadishu and deported him to Ethiopia to face trial. africanews.com
Open questions
- How many Somali nationals are held in Ethiopia today, in which facilities, and under what authority?
- What became of the Jail Ogaden prisoners after 2018 — released, compensated, or still inside?
- Have Somali nationals been transferred between Ethiopian and Somali security services, and under what agreement?
- What is the process for a Somali national arrested in Addis Ababa or in the Somali Region?
Cases
| Date | Who | Country | What happened | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-07-04 | Prisoners of Jail Ogaden, Jijiga (70 former prisoners interviewed; 32 women) | Ethiopia | Torture, rape, starvation and deaths documented by Human Rights Watch for 2011–2018; almost none charged or tried. | Documented; accountability unresolved | hrw.org |
Answer one of these questions
If you were held in Ethiopia, or you know someone who was, or you work in the system: give a testimony, pitch a piece, or WhatsApp OPR at +252 61 977 5580. In Somali or English. Named or not.