Arrested Mahibere Kidusan leaders reportedly released

Mahibre Kidusan, an organization affiliated with the Sunday School Division of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, announced on Friday that its chairperson, Li’qe Tiguhan Kesis Mulugeta Seyoum, and secretary, Memher Wasihun Belay, had been released. The two leaders were detained on Thursday morning by federal police at their homes in the Mexico area of Addis Ababa. The organization expressed gratitude to government security bodies for their “quick response” and thanked those who “patiently waited and prayed” for its elders, laity, and members.

The Ethiopian government did not disclose the reasons for the arrests. However, two days prior, state media aired a documentary depicting an exchange of fire between three Fano members and security officers in Addis Ababa. The government indirectly implicated the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in the militant activities of the Fano Forces. This context may have influenced the arrests, though no official explanation was provided.

In addition to Seyoum and Belay, government forces arrested Merigeta Berhanu TekleYared, recently appointed head of the South and West Africa Dioceses of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. His home was searched for several hours, and he remains in detention. This is the second time Berhanu has been arrested in less than six months, with no official explanation given for his detention.

The situation raises questions about the government’s approach to religious and political organizations, particularly those with ties to broader social or political movements. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church, as a significant religious institution, continues to navigate complex relationships with state authorities and community expectations. The events underscore the challenges faced by religious groups in balancing their roles within society and the legal frameworks governing their activities.

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