Office Calls For Stay On Death Penality Against Ethiopian Women

Addis Ababa, December 12 (WIC) – The Women's Affairs section at the Prime Minister's Office has appealed to the Bahraini Government to intervene in the case of Ethiopian Yeshiworku Desta Zewdu, who was sentenced to death by a court in that country on charges of Murder.

Office Head with the Rank of Minister, Tadelech Hailemichael said that 20 year old Yeshwork did not deserve the death sentence because she was driven into such an act by the extremity of the treatment she had received by her employer, Filipino Saida Baltar.

" She was a victim of brutal treatment, which she could not accept as human behavior and resulted in her psychological trauma. She was physically tortured and psychologically  tormented.", Tadelech said.

"She was denied her salary for the last two years  while being simultaneously made to work for the employer. This caused her mental disorder, which was one of the reasons that forced her to commit such an act", the minister added.

Tedelech indicated that the convict has not had the chance to properly defend herself  and was not allowed a legal counsel,  nor did she get any support from any group.

Urging the Government of Bahrain to revisit the verdict of the court, Minister Tadelech called on Human Rights organizations Worldwide, and women's rights groups to interven on behalf of the Ethiopian woman.

In addition, the office called on the Government of Bahrain to facilitate  for Yeshiworke to defend herself and for proper investigation of the case by the concerned authorities.

 It also urged the UN Commission for Human Rights "to take up the care and protest against such act of basic human rights violation of a worker."

The Women's Affair section in the Prime Minister has appealed through the websites of the Government Spokesperson and Walta Information Center to the U.N Commission on Human Rights the Campaign for Migrant Domestic Workers Right in Washington, The authorities in Bahrain and the International Community to intervene on behalf of the Ethiopian woman. In this connection it called on all Ethiopians and those who sympathise with the situation of Yeshiwork, to add their voices to the appeal to help save the Ethiopian victim from eminent death sentence.

Meanwhile, the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association called on the Ministry of Foraign Affairs to intensify its effort through the United Nations Human Rights Commission and bilateral means in saving the young Ethiopian.

The Association as well urged the Government and NGOs to seek ways to immediately send a legal counsel to the gulf nation to represent Yeshiwork in the appeals court.

Tens of thousands of Ethiopian women work as domestic workers in Middle Eastern Countries. There has been frequent reports of violations of their rights, including torture, and in many cases murder.  This has precipitated the Ethiopian Government to open a consulate in Lebanon, a country where many of such incidents have reportedly taken place.