The Habesha News Desk
September 18, 2025
The story of Ethiopia’s political prisoners is a story of suffering, resilience, and, too often, tragedy. One of the most painful examples remains the late Professor Asrat Woldeyes, a renowned physician, pilot, and intellectual who became the torchbearer of the Amhara struggle for freedom. Today, many fear that history is on the verge of repeating itself with the deteriorating health of Christian Tadele, a prominent historian, political thinker, and organizer of the Amhara liberation movement.
The Death of Professor Asrat Woldeyes
Professor Asrat, often described as the embodiment of courage and sacrifice, was denied timely medical care during his imprisonment. Despite his towering contributions to medicine, education, and the fight for justice, the state treated him with cruelty, allowing his health to decline until he passed away. His death was not just the loss of a man but the silencing of a vital voice for freedom and democracy.
The tragedy of Professor Asrat’s passing stands as one of the darkest chapters in modern Ethiopian history. It highlighted the lengths to which authoritarian systems will go to break the spirit of their critics and the devastating consequences of denying basic human rights to prisoners of conscience.
The Plight of Christian Tadele
Today, Christian Tadele, another towering figure in Ethiopia’s intellectual and political life, finds himself facing a similar fate. Known as a historian, political strategist, defender of the Amharic language, and organizer of the Amhara struggle, Christian has dedicated his life to the pursuit of justice and equality. Yet, instead of being recognized for his service to society, he is being subjected to conditions that threaten his health and wellbeing.
Reports of neglect and mistreatment echo the suffering endured by Professor Asrat decades earlier. The parallels are alarming: once again, Ethiopia risks losing a vital voice to cruelty and indifference.
A Call Against Silence
Silence in the face of such inhumanity is complicity. If Ethiopians, and indeed the world, could not save Professor Asrat, they must not allow history to repeat itself with Christian Tadele. His struggle is not merely his own; it represents the broader struggle for freedom, dignity, and justice in Ethiopia.
Christian has always given everything—his strength, his intellect, and his life’s work—to the people. He has fought tirelessly without faltering. Now, it is the duty of those who believe in justice to stand with him, to raise their voices, and to ensure he is not abandoned to the same cruel fate as Professor Asrat.
Conclusion
The shadow of Professor Asrat’s death looms large over Ethiopia’s present. It is a stark reminder of what happens when injustice is allowed to fester unchecked. Christian Tadele’s current health crisis presents a moral test: will Ethiopians and the international community allow history to repeat itself, or will they act to protect a man who has dedicated his life to truth, freedom, and the defense of his people?
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This photo reminds me another similar one during the EPRDF era of another prisoner who was also said to be terminally sick in prison. The illness was a very large swelling in the whoopee cushion area. Apparently the hospitals there were not equipped to safely remove the swelling and he was sent here. I saw a video of him a few months ago speaking to a crowd and thank god he did not show any sign of someone who once was near death with life threatening sickness. Lets all pray for a quick recovery for this one too.
Professor Asrat Woldeyes was not only a capable surgeon but also a softhearted humanitarian and a patriot whose medical profession helped hundreds of fellow Ethiopian lives saved and treated.To the contrary, the leaders of the dictatorial and repressive communist regime of the now defunct EPRDF let him to languish in the brutal and rubbish prison and deprived him of any kind of medical care.finally, they got a sigh of relief when he died.As the writer has mentioned it, we Ethiopians, all of us failed to voice our concerns of his harrowing experiences and plight. May he rest in peace.