Drop Politically Motivated Charges, End Crackdown
On the afternoon of June 25, police in the regional capital of Ethiopia's conflict-affected Amhara region arrested Dr. Daniel Fentaneh, a gynecologist and obstetric resident at Bahir Dar University Teaching Hospital, confiscating his phone and laptop.
Daniel had been a key figure in recent nationwide protests by Ethiopian healthcare professionals demanding better working conditions, adequate pay, and legal protections against harassment and political intimidation. He shared healthcare workers' challenges and demands on the popular and since-deleted Facebook page he administered, "Dr. Debol".
The protests followed months of online mobilization under hashtags such as #HealthWorkersMatter. In May, healthcare workers at public health institutions across Ethiopia halted non-emergency services. But instead of meaningfully addressing their complaints, authorities arbitrarily arrested dozens of workers before eventually releasing them.
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Appearing before a court on June 27, police accused Daniel of "inciting, mobilizing, and organizing" the health worker strike on social media, alleging it resulted in the "loss of human life." During Daniel second court appearance on July 3, the court granted police five additional days to substantiate the allegations. He is currently being held at Sebat Amit prison in Bahir Dar.
Meanwhile, the crackdown on professional health associations and movement organizers is far from over. Four days before Daniel's arrest, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's met with a select group of healthcare workers in the nation's capital, Addis Ababa. Prime Minister Abiy acknowledged that the workers had valid concerns but claimed the strike had been overtaken by "political opportunists," who had "turned the white coat into a political tool."
Earlier in June, the Ethiopian government suspended the Ethiopian Health Professionals Association (EHPA), a group that endorsed the healthcare workers' demands.
Daniel should not be facing imprisonment for echoing peaceful calls for better working conditions and pay. Police should urgently release him.
The Ethiopian government should meaningfully engage with physicians like Daniel raising legitimate grievances using nonviolent means. The current approach instead confirms that Ethiopia is again one of the most inhospitable places to speak out.
Laetitia Bader, Director, Horn of Africa
