Nine people have been accused with “inciting riot and unrest” and “collaborating with anti-peace forces” in the midst of a statewide strike by medical professionals, including anatomic pathologist Dr. Mahlet Gush, who was removed from her home by security personnel on Monday, May 19, 2025.

 A family member of Dr. Mahlet, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to safety concerns, informed Addis Standard that "security forces" seized her from her home at Bashawelde Condominium, located near 4 Killo, at about 11:00 a.m. on Monday.

 According to the same source, five people—allegedly "one in Addis Abeba Police uniform and four in civilian clothes"—entered the flat and removed Dr. Mahlet without a court summons, and "only the housemaid was at home at the time."

 The family member said that "they took her two mobile phones immediately," and that even though they were subsequently told that she had been taken into custody by security personnel, "her whereabouts remained unknown for several hours."

 The family member claims that information they received from condominium guards made them conclude that the arrest was probably not made by federal police since "one of the individuals wore an Addis Abeba Police uniform."  The family member said, "We started our search at the local police station and then went to the Addis Abeba Police Commission headquarters."

 When the Addis Abeba Police Commission finally identified Dr. Mahlet, they "asked us to bring food and warm clothing," which the family subsequently brought.

 According to the source, security guards came to Dr. Mahlet's home the next morning and searched it, taking "two of her personal laptops."

 The family member claims that on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, Dr. Mahlet made an appearance before the Federal High Court, Arada Division.  He stated, "She was brought to court along with eight others," and that they were officially charged with "inciting riot and unrest."

 Prosecutors filed more accusations, the person said, claiming the organization "caused patient deaths through the work stoppage strike."  The family member, however, denied the allegation, stating that "Dr. Mahlet has not been working at Vision, the private clinic where she was previously employed, for one year and eight months," and that "she has not been engaged in clinical activities since giving birth to her child and was not involved in the work stoppage."

 Dr. Mahlet's detention comes after she discussed the problems confronting Ethiopia's healthcare system and the causes of the current health workers' strike in an interview with BBC Focus on Africa.

 "Our country's health system is underfunded," Dr. Mahlet said, adding that "we have these major problems that have not been changed for decades, especially in the oncology department, like in our pathology department."

 Dr. Mahlet also mentioned how medical workers are having financial issues.  She said, "We have trouble surviving the economic change that the government has made in the past few months. We couldn't afford our housing rental payment and transportation."

 Her arrest coincides with a statewide healthcare workers' strike that started on Tuesday, May 13, calling for greater compensation, better working conditions, and rights protection.  Protests preceded the strike, which came after internet campaigns using hashtags like #HealthWorkersMatter. There have been accusations of police arrests and harassment.

 Following a widespread request for a work stoppage by Ethiopian healthcare workers at the end of last week, claiming arrests and intimidation, reports suggest that medical services have been suspended at a number of hospitals in Addis Ababa and regional towns.

 Numerous reports, like as those published by Addis Standard, describe the increasing pressure on medical personnel, including police raids at midnight, arbitrary arrests, and harassment for taking part in the strike.  Officials minimize the issue in spite of this.  With the exception of "limited service interruptions" at several teaching hospitals, Health Minister Dr. Mekdes Daba said on May 19 that services were "continuing without interruption."  State Minister Dereje Duguma issued a warning the next day, stating that striking employees might lose their licenses and that it "will be difficult for them to continue holding their professional licenses" if they do not go back to work.

 The strike is a "spontaneous occurrence; there is no exact association that made us emotional and do this movement," Dr. Mahlet said in an interview with the BBC.  "Everything in the country has gone up, but our pay, our salary, remains the same," she said.  Thus, we were no longer able to afford to live this way.

 The case file of Dr. Mahlet Gush, which was opened under Dr. Samuel Hailu Tewoldemedhin's criminal file, has been examined by Addis Standard.  The charges in the file include: "inciting riot and unrest"; "using their mobile phones and social media to transmit messages that incite conflict between ethnicities"; "collaborating with anti-peace forces to instigate urban rebellion"; and "neglecting responsibilities placed upon them by the public and government by refusing to treat patients."

 In order to gather evidence, witness statements, and to look into "information regarding loss of human lives due to disruptions at their medical institutions," among other specific reasons, the court has called for a 12-day delay.  As