Canadian Man Detained in Ethiopia Over Walkie-talkies Classified as Military | AI News Digest
After weeks of uncertainty, Peter Pal Jola, a 67-year-old Canadian national, has been in custody in Ethiopia since March on allegations of importing military equipment, specifically walkie-talkies. Jola, who hails from Kitchener, Ontario, traveled to Ethiopia with plans to deliver humanitarian supplies to his hometown in South Sudan, a region struggling with severe conflict-related challenges. His daughter, Nyarieni Pal, emphasized that her father was unaware that possessing the walkie-talkies was against Ethiopian law, as they fall under the category of restricted items. Each of the three charges he faces carries a potential sentence of up to ten years in prison. The Canadian government is offering consular support, but the family expresses concern about the limited avenues for intervention within Ethiopia's judicial process. In response, they have launched a GoFundMe campaign to help fund legal costs and are appealing for assistance from the Canadian government as Jola's court date approaches.
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