ADDIS ABABA: An Ethiopian opposition official from the sensitive Oromia region was found shot dead on Wednesday, a few hours after being apprehended by government forces, his party said.
Bate Urgessa, a member of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) party, was released on bail last month following his detention alongside French journalist Antoine Galindo. However, the 41-year-old was once again taken into custody late on Tuesday by “government armed forces” at a hotel in the town of Meki, located 150 kilometers (93 miles) south of the capital Addis Ababa, according to OLF spokesperson Lemi Gemechu.
“Bate’s family confirmed that he was found dead on a road in a place called Melissa, on the outskirts of Meki town,” Gemechu stated, noting that Urgessa had been shot. The body was found on Wednesday morning.
OLF, which represents the populous Oromo people, expressed deep sorrow upon learning of Urgessa’s death, condemning it as an “unwarranted and extrajudicial killing” of a prominent Oromo political and cultural figure.
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) urged both regional and central authorities to immediately conduct a thorough investigation into Urgessa’s killing, emphasizing the need to hold perpetrators accountable.
Bate Urgessa has faced detention in Ethiopian prisons on multiple occasions. His most recent arrest came on February 22 in Addis Ababa, alongside journalist Antoine Galindo, on allegations of conspiring to destabilize the country. While Galindo was released a week later, Urgessa remained in detention until March 6.
