It is very worrying that Mr Tsege remains in detention and that the legal process has made little progress. The Foreign Secretary made clear to the Ethiopian Government that their continued failure to grant the UK Government’s basic requests was unacceptable and the lack of progress risked undermining our bilateral relationship with Ethiopia.
Extensive Ministerial lobbying resulted in Mr Tsege’s transfer to a normal federal prison in July. Ministers continue to press the Ethiopian authorities for regular consular access as enshrined in the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. I am pleased that there has been an improvement in consular access, following their intervention, but it must be more regular and include access to a lawyer. It is vital that due legal process is followed and the death sentence imposed in absentia will not be carried out. Britain opposes the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle and the Government continues to call on all countries around the world that retain the death penalty to cease its use.
Ministers continue to press the Ethiopian Government for regular consular access, for concerns regarding Andargachew’s welfare to be addressed, and for a clear and transparent legal process through which he can challenge his detention.
By Patrick McLoughlin on May 27, 2016