In 2005, Birtukan was leader of Ethiopia’s main opposition party, Unity for Democracy and Justice. Her party contested the elections that year, but lost under questionable circumstances. When she and her supporters peacefully protested against the legitimacy of the election results, thousands were arrested. Birtukan, Eskinder, Serkalem and over 100 journalists, opposition leaders and others were put on trial.
“The whole time was very difficult, especially for Serkalem,” says Birtukan, who shared a cell with her at one point.
“She was pregnant and she had to live with 70 to 80 prisoners in a very unclean cell. The smell was terrible.
“When she finally had her baby, that was one of the times I really felt low. She went to the hospital and… came back alone. She had to leave the little one with her mum.
“The whole time was very difficult, especially for Serkalem,” says Birtukan, who shared a cell with her at one point.
“She was pregnant and she had to live with 70 to 80 prisoners in a very unclean cell. The smell was terrible.
“When she finally had her baby, that was one of the times I really felt low. She went to the hospital and… came back alone. She had to leave the little one with her mum.
My daughter was with my mum – she was eight months old. So we consoled each other. Our major difficulties came because of our responsibilities as mothers, and our attachment to our children. That was really the toughest time in prison.”
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