Mekelle፡Telaviv, Nairobi, Pretoria, London, (Tigray Herald)
URGENT APPEAL AND INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION
Regarding the Unlawful Arrest of Tigray Interim Government Cabinet Member – Tadele Mengistu Haile (Tadele Mengistu Haile)
April 23, 2025
To: European Union Delegations, U.S. Embassy Addis Ababa, British Embassy Addis Ababa,United Nations Human Rights Council,
Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Ethiopian Federal Government, Tigrayan Advocacy and Civic Organizations, Global Tigrayan Media Outlets, All Tigrayans in the Diaspora and at Home.
We, the Tigrayan Advocacy for Human Rights and Justice International (TAHRJI), strongly condemn the politically motivated and unlawful arrest of Interim Cabinet Member Tadele Mengistu Haile (Tadele Mengistu Haile), a respected reformist leader and war veteran currently serving as head of
the Transport and Communications Bureau under the National Congress of Great Tigray.
Tadele Mengistu, a wounded and selfless member of the Tigray Defense Forces (TDF) who fought during the genocidal war, is now being targeted by remnants of the TPLF criminal network and its militia factions. His arrest marks a disturbing escalation by those who have hijacked the Tigray Interim Government under the leadership of General Tadesse Worede.
This hijacked leadership is actively silencing reformist voices, illegally detaining young Tigrayan veterans, and undermining the Pretoria Peace Agreement. General Tadesse Worede’s administration has no moral legitimacy and is acting with the traits of a rogue, terrorist-like regime.
Urgent Appeal and International Condemnation
This arrest is a direct violation of:
- International Human Rights Law
- The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Articles 3, 5, 9, 19)
- The spirit and obligations of the Pretoria Peace Agreement
Furthermore, it is a diplomatic embarrassment that during the visit of British Ambassador Darren
Welch to Tigray, such unlawful repression has taken place – showcasing the regimes unethical
disregard for international norms.
We urgently demand:
- The immediate and unconditional release of Tadele Mengistu.
- An independent international investigation into the TPLF militias’ actions.
- Diplomatic pressure on General Tadesse Woredes faction to end political persecution.
- Global recognition of the youth-led reformist movement in Tigray.
To the international community, we say: Silence is complicity. This is not only a Tigrayan issue – it is
a test of the worlds commitment to justice.
To General Tadesse Worede and his criminal associates: your leadership is Dead on Arrival (DOA).It cannot be resuscitated. Tigrays future will not be built on the graves of its heroes.
