LONDON — It's not every day that a 9-year-old American girl takes the British government to court.But for Menabe Andargachew, it's a matter of life and death: her father's.
Andargachew "Andy" Tsege disappeared while catching a connecting flight through Yemen in June 2014. The political activist was snatched and forcibly taken to Ethiopia, where he had been sentenced to death for opposition work.
Tsege is British but so far his government hasn't demanded his release. Now Menabe and her family are trying to force their hand: They filed a legal challenge alleging that approach is "unlawful."
Andargachew "Andy" Tsege disappeared while catching a connecting flight through Yemen in June 2014. The political activist was snatched and forcibly taken to Ethiopia, where he had been sentenced to death for opposition work.
Tsege is British but so far his government hasn't demanded his release. Now Menabe and her family are trying to force their hand: They filed a legal challenge alleging that approach is "unlawful."
Click her father's image to link to read more
He was born on Feb. 9, 1955, in Addis Ababa to a prominent family: his father worked in the Ministry of Development under Emperor Haile Selassie.After studying mechanical engineering, Tsege fled Ethiopia in early 1978 amid a campaign of repression by the Derg — the Marxist regime junta that ousted Selassie.
Tsege was granted full refugee status in the U.K. in 1983 on the basis of political opinion.
He earned his British citizenship in 2006 and remained an outspoken critic of Ethiopia's regime, helping co-found an opposition party called "Ginbot 7" in 2008.
The party -- which called for democracy, free elections, civil rights and change of government "by any means" -- was branded a "terrorist organization" by Ethiopia's government in 2011. No other state has deemed it such.
Tsege was granted full refugee status in the U.K. in 1983 on the basis of political opinion.
He earned his British citizenship in 2006 and remained an outspoken critic of Ethiopia's regime, helping co-found an opposition party called "Ginbot 7" in 2008.
The party -- which called for democracy, free elections, civil rights and change of government "by any means" -- was branded a "terrorist organization" by Ethiopia's government in 2011. No other state has deemed it such.