The arrest of Yonas Birhane Mewa and denial of his right to bail due to well-known tick tlaker Felqgot Girma’s artistic works in the Guma Award, in which she painted a bullet hole in her head and a mouth that was tied shut with rope to express her message, is allegedly illegal and unacceptable, according to Daniel Bekele, commissioner of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC).
According to a post by Commissioner Daniel on his official Facebook page, the film producer Yonas Birhane Mewa, who was arrested by the police last Friday, requested a message to be released without any conditions.
His message is that Yonas Birhane Mewa’s detention and denial of his right to bail because of another artist’s artistic protest is unlawful and intolerable.
He underlined that one aspect of that freedom is the ability to express oneself creatively.
The “Guma Award” organiser Yonas Birhane Mewa was taken into custody by Israeli security personnel after the award presentation held at the Skylight Hotel on Friday night.