Duale Demands To Know Whereabouts Of Journalist Yassin Juma After Ethiopian Court Ordered For His Release

Garissa Member of Parliament Aden Duale has called upon the National Government to issue a statement on the whereabouts of Kenyan Journalist Yassin Juma who is still detained in Ethiopia.

Speaking during a session at the National Assembly, the vocal MP faulted the Ethiopian government for violating human rights as well as disregarding the International Judicial laws by detaining Yassin illegally.

“To date, Ethiopian police are still holding Mr Juma in illegal detention contrary to court orders and in complete digression from international accords on judicial processes,” he stated.

Read: Ex-NTV Journalist Yassin Juma Allegedly Detained In Ethiopia

Further, Duale directed the taskforce committee on Defense and foreign relations to highlight the specific measures being followed by the government to ensure Yassin secures his freedom and questioned the measures that the state has in place to safeguard Kenyans from a similar treatment abroad.

Two weeks after his arrest while covering protests that erupted in Oromoo following the death of musician Hachalu Hundessa, Yassin was yet to appear in court.

Reports indicated that Yassin had not been accorded legal representation by the Kenyan embassy as he faced charges of instigating inter-ethnic violence and causing outrage to the dignity of a dead body.

Read Also: Ethiopian Court Orders Release Of Kenyan Journalist Yassin Juma

Last week, an Ethiopian court ordered for his release from police custody after police failed to present evidence to prove he had committed a crime.

In a ruling delivered on Wednesday, the court also granted Ethiopia’s OMN journalist Melese Diribsa and three other, bail.

He is however yet to be released despite the Ministry of Foreign affairs indicating that it had been working behind the scenes to secure his freedom. His health is said to have deteriorated during the period.