Echoes of Truth: An Urgent Appeal for the Life of Taye Dendea

A Call to Every Ethiopian Heart and the Conscience of the World

Sirak Zena
June 18, 2025

I was struck to the core when I first listened to Taye Dendea Aredo speak with such clarity, sincerity, and fearless articulation of the truth. His words exposed, without bitterness or exaggeration, the ignorance, brutality, and corruption that have come to define the regime ruling Ethiopia today.

He did not speak in riddles or half-truths. He named what others only dared to hint at. But even as I was moved by his honesty, a dark thought lingered at the back of my mind: what would this ruthless, power-obsessed regime do to silence him? For I know — as we all do — that the man at the top will stop at nothing to preserve his grip on power. And in Ethiopia today, telling the truth is not just dangerous — it is life-threatening. This inward feeling compelled me to compose this appeal to my fellow Ethiopians.

Every generation raises a rare, defiant, and unbending voice that chooses truth over comfort, integrity over silence, and the nation over personal safety. Taye Dendea is such a voice. Today, he is behind bars, silenced not by guilt but by the courage to speak. And it is we, not just he, who are being tested.

Taye Dendea, a longtime Prosperity Party member and former high-ranking official ethnically similar to the prime minister, proudly refused to confine his identity to party devotion or ethnic boundaries in pursuit of the truth. He is one of the few public figures representing all Ethiopians, not just one group. He is known singularly for his sharp criticism of the regime on Facebook, particularly when he addresses the numerous political, economic, and social issues that arise. He is a courageous man, perhaps the only one who bravely traveled to Tigray to apologize for his role during the Tigray War.

And for that, he now pays the price.

Taye’s revelations expose the very core of the regime’s nature, shedding light on Abiy Ahmed’s conspiratorial mindset, violent and divisive tactics, systemic corruption, fraudulent misuse of public funds, and deeply troubling authoritarian behavior.

He has granted interviews to several media outlets, and while the core message remains consistent, each interview may offer additional insights or corroborating details depending on the questions posed. I had hoped to review all these interviews before issuing this appeal. However, given the gravity of the situation and the real danger to his life, I cannot afford to wait any longer. Time is not on our side, and preserving his life demands immediate action.

Before his re-imprisonment — a cruel return to captivity after already enduring four months of unjust incarceration — Taye gave voice to truths that many feared to whisper. His message was simple, piercing, and prophetic: Should I be imprisoned or killed by the regime, let the facts and truths about the regime be revealed to the Ethiopian people.

When Taye uttered the words to one of the interviewers, “We do not know what is going to happen next, so let me tell you this,” it was as if time paused. That simple sentence — spoken calmly, without drama — carried the weight of foreknowledge, fear, love, and duty all at once. He knew he was standing at the edge of uncertainty, possibly at the edge of his own life. Yet instead of retreating into silence or fear, he leaned in, choosing to use what little time and breath remained to speak for his people.

It was not just a political statement. It was a moral surrender to truth in the face of imminent danger. It was as if Taye was saying, “Even if this bruital regime come for me, let me not die with this truth unspoken.”

That moment struck and moved me, and I hope many of you, not only because of what he said but because of how nakedly human it was. He let us into his thoughts, fears, and final act of agency: to leave a record of truth before darkness could swallow it. We often hear bravery in slogans and chants, but this was different. This was quiet courage, spoken by a man who had looked into the eyes of power and chose not to flinch.

He knew what was coming. And yet he chose to speak. He knew well that this truth-telling would lead him to social isolation, loss of freedom, or even death.

The Truths He Risked His Life to Share

Taye Dendea exposed what many suspected, but few could prove.

A few of them:

• The war in Tigray, which took close to a million Ethiopian lives, was not accidental but a calculated purge aimed at weakening an entire ethnic group and eliminating its soldiers from the defense forces by intentionally provoking war.
• Abiy, in chilling disregard for the nation’s youth, believed Ethiopia’s overpopulation and unproductive youth justified a war that could last twenty years.
• Corruption was not merely tolerated but systematized, with officials Abiy told, “I won’t ask you to stop corruption, but be careful with the speed and volume.”
• According to Abiy, the retreat from Tigray during the war, which endangered the lives of many, was deliberate, meant to teach a lesson to the Amhara people and demoralize Fano fighters.
• In one chilling encounter, Taye recalled how Abiy Ahmed, with unmistakable pride, told him directly: “I dismantled the Amhara and the Amhara region. “This was not a slip of the tongue — it was a boast, spoken by a man intoxicated with power and division. For Taye, this moment was disturbing and a moral breaking point. It exposed the full extent of the regime’s calculated cruelty and ethnic targeting. It was among the final, unforgivable confirmations that compelled him to break away from the ruling party and stand against the system he once served. In that moment, Taye chose conscience over complicity and truth over allegiance to power.

These are not the words of a dissident motivated by power or ambition. These are the final words of a man prepared to lose everything — even his life — for the sake of national truth.

A Nation Must Not Abandon Its Conscience

If Taye Dendea dies in prison, it will not only be a tragedy. It will be a national shame.

He is not simply a politician. He is a living testimony to the dangers of unchecked power and a symbol of moral resistance in a time of manufactured silence. He stood where others fled. He broke ranks for the sake of justice. He refused to weaponize ethnicity — and thus became dangerous to a regime built on division.

To those in Oromia, Amhara, Tigray, Sidama, Afar, Somali — to every Ethiopian from north to south, east to west: his courage is not for one group. It is for all of us.

This call for justice must also include the countless others languishing in prison, not for any crime, but simply for exercising their civic rights, for speaking, assembling, or dreaming of a freer Ethiopia.

Still, behind prison walls, his courage, truth, and fearlessness echo, calling on us to rise, speak, and stand boldly for what is right.

What Must Be Done — Now

We call upon:

• All Ethiopians should raise their voices in unison—not for politics but for human dignity and the rule of law.
• The Ethiopian diaspora aims to make Taye’s name known in every advocacy circle, embassy, and international human rights forum.
• Foreign embassies and the U.S. State Department should demand access to Taye Dendea and publicly call for his immediate and unconditional release.
• International human rights organizations have recognized his case as emblematic of Ethiopia’s deepening crisis of political repression.
• In solidarity, a trusted group of concerned Ethiopians will launch a fundraising effort to support Taye Dendea’s family and others who are unjustly imprisoned—to help them withstand this storm with dignity and hope. Every contribution is not just material support but a statement of conscience.

Let This Not Be Another Silence

Taye Dendea may be one man, but voices like his come only once in a generation. He is one in ten million, a figure of rare clarity in a regime clouded by deception.

Let it not be said that we heard his warning and looked away. Let it not be written that Ethiopians left their bravest to suffer alone.

We owe him more than support—we owe him protection. We also owe our children a country where truth-tellers are not made martyrs.

Taye Dendea did what others could not—he brought to light guarded truths with uncommon clarity and moral force, shattering the silence upheld by fear. While others skirted around the truth, Taye confronted it head-on, exposing the regime’s darkest secrets without hesitation. For Abiy Ahmed, such truth-telling is not just inconvenient — it is intolerable. And in a system where truth is treated as treason, this clarity becomes a license to kill. We must act urgently — before silence seals a fate we cannot undo.

We are a nation that often mourns and honors its heroes only after they are gone, and while remembrance is noble, it is not enough. Let us not wait for martyrdom to recognize courage. Let us do what must be done while our heroes still live, speak, and breathe among us.

Although the author of this appeal may not possess the resources or platform to organize such a campaign, countless capable organizations and civic groups in the Ethiopian diaspora do. We urge you to take up this noble responsibility, lead this effort, and make us proud as Ethiopians by helping to save the life of a living hero who dared to speak the truth in the face of tyranny.

This appeal on behalf of Taye Dendea is unique in its urgency and presentation, not because he is the only courageous voice, but because of what he revealed — the inner-circle secrets the regime’s most trusted confidants closely guarded. Though many suspected or quietly acknowledged these truths, Taye alone brought them to light with clarity and accountability, fully aware of the personal cost. That courage has now cost him his freedom — and may yet cost him his life.

The author of this appeal has previously written in support of others who are unjustly imprisoned, and this call does not diminish their sacrifices or significance in any way. Instead, it highlights the unprecedented gravity of Taye’s revelations and the immediate danger he faces. I kindly ask readers to understand that this is not a matter of choosing one voice over another — it is a plea to save a man who dared to name the danger that threatens us all.

We also recognize that some individuals living safely outside Ethiopia—people who once held high-ranking positions and maintained close ties to the Prime Minister—have since turned against the regime. Their experience and knowledge are invaluable, and their opposition is welcome. However, unlike Taye, who risked everything to speak the entire truth from within the grip of an autocracy, many of these figures have yet to disclose what they know fully. In a time when clarity is a lifeline for the nation, withholding vital truths only delays the awakening of our people. Taye’s courage should serve as a moral compass — a reminder that silence, even in safety, comes at a cost to those still in danger.

The Time to Act Is Now: Protecting a Living Hero

Most Ethiopians — across political lines and ethnic backgrounds — recognize and deeply admire Taye Dendea’s extraordinary courage and the truths he has dared to unveil. He has given voice to what many only dared to whisper or may not know. And while we continue to reflect on the significance of his revelations as a defining historical moment — spoken by a patriotic Oromo Ethiopian — we must not lose sight of the most urgent truth: This is not speculation, but a warning rooted in history, based on what Taye told us about what is going on in prison. The recent new law enacted by the Ethiopian parliament’s torture legislation makes it real. His life is in jeopardy, and our time to take action is rapidly dwindling.

Our first and most pressing responsibility is to protect him. We call on all Ethiopian media in diaspora, civil society organizations, diaspora associations, and political actors to come together — not tomorrow, but now — to prevent this regime from turning another voice of truth into a martyr. His name must not be added to our tragic list: General Seare Mekonnen, Hachalu Hundessa, Ambachew Mekonnen, Engineer Simegnew Bekele, Bate Urgessa, and many more whose silencing haunts our national memory.

It is not enough to admire Taye’s words—we must honor them through action, not silence. We cannot let his sacrifice become another tale of regret. We must act while he still breathes.

We urgently appeal to international human rights organizations, foreign embassies, and the global media: make his case visible. Demand access. Ensure that he is not subjected to torture, inhumane treatment, or slow erasure behind prison walls. The world must know. And Ethiopians must not wait for mourning to become the only act left to us.

I write this not as a politician or an organization, but as a fellow Ethiopian moved by the raw truth and courage of Taye Dendea. I fear for his life, not out of pessimism, but because I know, many of you know, and Taye told us what this regime is capable of. Yet, we still have the power to act. We, the people, must not remain silent. We must protect him. We must not wait until it is too late. Fear is not always panic — sometimes, it is the wisdom to prepare, protect, and act before the worst arrives. “Saving Taye Dendea is saving the nation’s moral conscience. Let us not act when it’s too late.”

Let us not wait to light candles after his name is added to a growing list of martyrs. This is the moment to protect a life, not just mourn a loss.

Admiration without action is abandonment. Taye’s words do not call for applause but for protection and renewed commitment to advancing the struggle for a unified Ethiopia where the rights, dignity, and cultures of all ethnic groups are respected in the rule of law, harmony, and peace.

“When truth is imprisoned and courage is left to suffer alone, silence is not neutrality — it is betrayal. To save a voice like Taye Dendea’s is to save the conscience of a nation.”

አብይ አህመድ የማያውቀው የተፈፀመ ወንጀል የለም
ወንጀሎችን በሙሉ አቅዶ ፈቅዶ የሚያስፈፅም አረመኔ ነው ። pic.twitter.com/MXTtcYA89k

— EmbiBel Amhara ዕምቢበል (@Embi_belu) June 18, 2025