Human Rights Concern – Eritrea (HRCE) is deeply alarmed by reports that three Eritrean asylum seekers have been shot and killed in detention by prison guards in Ethiopia. Reports indicate that on 22 January, 2025, 37 Eritrean detainees, attempted to escape from Lafto Prison, Wereda 12, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In response, prison guards opened fire, killing two detainees, Hanibal Solomon Gurja and Ataklti Isaias Habtesion, instantly. A third victim reportedly died from his injuries due to medical neglect, but authorities have refused to reveal his identity. Eleven others were injured, yet remain detained without medical care, leaving them vulnerable to infections and life-threatening complications.
The Victims:
Hanibal Solomon Gurja (18): Fled Eritrea in September 2023 and went to Ethiopia to seek asylum. Upon crossing into Ethiopia, he was kidnapped by human traffickers in Tigray, who demanded a ransom. His family paid $3,000 USD, for his release. Abandoned in Addis Ababa by the traffickers, he survived on financial support from his brother in the Netherlands. On 22 December, 2024, Hanibal was arbitrarily arrested while purchasing shoes and taken to Lafto Prison, Wereda 12, Addis Ababa.
Ataklti Isaias Habtesion (20): Attempted to escape Eritrea for asylum in Ethiopia but was also kidnapped in Tigray for ransom. His family paid $3,000 USD for his release. After being left in Addis Ababa, he was similarly arrested on 22 December, 2024, and taken to Lafto Prison.
On the night of 22 January, 2025, Hanibal and Ataklti, along with 35 other Eritrean detainees, attempted to flee the prison, fearing deportation. The guards opened fire indiscriminately, killing Hanibal with two gunshots to the chest and Ataklti with multiple gunshot wounds. A third victim reportedly died to his injuries due to medical neglect, yet authorities have refused to disclose his identity. Eleven others were injured but remain detained without medical care.
The Reason for the Escape Attempt:
Ethiopia has deported over 800 Eritreans to Eritrea, in June 2023 and December 2024 respectively, after detaining them for months. Fearing the same fate, the 37 Eritrean detainees attempted to escape on 22 January, 2025, leading to the tragic shootings.
Human Rights Violations:
Unlawful Killings: Ethiopian authorities concealed the deaths of Hanibal and Ataklti until 14 February, 2025, when the families were informed through legal representation.
Denial of Medical Care: The injured detainees continue to suffer without treatment in substandard, overcrowded conditions, leaving them vulnerable to infections and life-threatening complications.
Refusal to Release Bodies: It has been reported that the bodies of the deceased are being kept at St Paul Hospital mortuary in Addis Ababa. The families of Hanibal and Ataklti wish to repatriate their bodies to Eritrea, but Ethiopian authorities have denied their request.
Lack of Refugee Protection: Ethiopia, despite being a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and the African Charter on Refugees, has ceased registering Eritrean asylum seekers since 2020. This policy shift has left thousands stranded, exposing them to abuse, extortion, and the risk of deportation. Without official refugee status, newly arriving Eritrean asylum seekers are denied access to humanitarian aid, work permits, and resettlement opportunities, further exacerbating their vulnerability.
Background:
The 37 Eritreans who were rounded up from their homes and the streets are unregistered and undocumented asylum seekers from Eritrea. They had nowhere to go. They fear for their lives if they are deported to Eritrea.
Deporting Eritrean failed or undocumented asylum seekers to Eritrea puts them at serious risk of arbitrary detention, torture, forced conscription into indefinite national service, and persecution as traitors. The Eritrean government has a long history of human rights abuses, with no independent judiciary to protect returnees.
In June 2023, and December 2024, Ethiopia deported over 800 Eritreans after detaining them for months. The 37 Eritreans who attempted to escape knew well that the authorities may deport them as they did in the past and they were trying to avoid deportation by trying to escape.
The Ethiopian police and security agents have been rounding up Eritreans and demanding ransom for their release. Former detainees have reported paying their freedom.
HRCE urgently call upon:
The Ethiopian Government to:
- Immediately release the bodies of Hanibal Solomon Gurja and Ataklti Isaias Habtesion and provide full transparency on the identity of the third deceased detainee. Ethiopian authorities must conduct a thorough, independent, and impartial investigation into the killings, ensuring that the prison guards responsible for the indiscriminate shooting of detainees are held accountable.
- To take immediate and decisive action to stop the unlawful and inhumane practices of extorting and detaining Eritrean refugees for ransom.
- To uphold its obligations under international refugee law by guaranteeing the safety, legal rights, and protection of all Eritrean refugees, regardless of their documentation status.
International Human Rights Organisations, including the UNHCR and the African Union:
- To investigate the killings and the inhumane treatment of Eritrean asylum seekers in Lafto Prison in Ethiopia.
Medical and humanitarian agencies:
- To intervene and ensure the injured detainees receive immediate medical care.
The global community:
- To pressure Ethiopia to resume the registration and protection of Eritrean asylum seekers in compliance with international refugee law which Ethiopia is party to.
The Ethiopian authorities must be held accountable for these grave violations of human rights and international law. Immediate action is required to prevent further suffering and loss of life among Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia.
Human Rights Concern – Eritrea (HRCE)
