Dr. Alem Hagos, an orthopedic and maxillofacial specialist in Adigrat, has now spent approximately three weeks in detention, as concerns mount over his deteriorating health and what critics describe as a widening pattern of arrests in Tigray under a controversial new security and mobilization proclamation.
According to an update received on August 7 from Shewit Wudassie, Dr. Alem remains in custody and has been denied access to outside medical treatment despite becoming seriously ill.
Friends who visited him on Friday morning described his physical condition as significantly deteriorated, saying he appeared sick, weak and visibly worn down by his detention.
"He is seriously ill," one account of the visit said, adding that he remains confined in the detention facility and has not been permitted to seek the medical treatment he needs.
Charges Include Attempt to "Overthrow the Government"
Dr. Alem was arrested in Adigrat on July 22. At the time of his detention, no formal charge had been publicly presented. According to information provided by people following the case, investigators initially focused heavily on one question: "What connection do you have with Addis Ababa?"
On July 24, Dr. Alem was brought before the Eastern Zone court, where he was denied bail.
The accusation presented against him was reportedly that he had been "organizing young people to incite unrest and working to overthrow the government."
By July 29, people monitoring the proceedings said the substance of the allegation had effectively become that Dr. Alem had attempted to overthrow the government by force.
Prosecutors subsequently requested additional time, saying they had witnesses who had not yet testified. According to the latest information on the case, prosecutors have said some of those witnesses are in Addis Ababa and requested additional time for them to appear.
Another allegation has reportedly now been added to the case: that Dr. Alem had insulted or criticized Commander of the Western Front General Migbey Haile on Facebook.
As a result, Dr. Alem continues to be held through successive court remands while prosecutors seek additional time to present witnesses.
Case Comes Amid Controversial New Tigray Proclamation
Dr. Alem’s detention comes against the backdrop of the Proclamation on the Safeguarding of the Existence and Security of the People of Tigray, adopted as Proclamation No. 366/2018.
The 44-page proclamation contains 81 articles and establishes extensive powers relating to mobilization, security and wartime administration. Critics have raised particular concerns about provisions dealing with compulsory mobilization, obstruction of recruitment, criticism of mobilization and activities authorities consider harmful to Tigray’s security.
Human Rights Watch called on Tigray authorities in June to withdraw the proclamation, arguing that its language is overly broad and could be used to punish dissent. HRW said the law provides severe penalties for a range of offenses and creates a legal framework for compulsory military mobilization.
The proclamation emerged alongside an intensified mobilization campaign. Human Rights Watch subsequently reported in July that civilians, including children, had been forcibly recruited in parts of Tigray.
People following Dr. Alem’s case have questioned whether the accusations against him are connected to this new political and legal environment, noting similarities between the language used against him and provisions aimed at people accused of obstructing mobilization or acting against the regional authorities.
Dr. Yemane Gebremariam Was Also Detained
Dr. Alem’s case follows the detention of another prominent medical professional from Adigrat, Dr. Yemane Gebremariam, a pediatrician, Dean of Adigrat University’s College of Medicine and Health Sciences and a senior leader at Adigrat’s referral hospital.
Dr. Yemane was detained on July 4, 2026, while traveling to Addis Ababa to participate in a professional medical education event as reported by UMD Media at that time.
The Tigray Medical Association publicly condemned his detention, saying no lawful justification or due process had been communicated to his colleagues or family.
The Health Professionals Network for Tigray similarly called for his immediate and unconditional release, saying he had been held without charge.
Dr. Yemane was released from detention after ten days, but his arrest intensified concerns among medical professionals and civil society observers about the treatment of healthcare workers and academics in Tigray.
The detention of Dr. Alem shortly afterward has added to those concerns.
From Political Dissent to Medical Professionals
The cases drew attention not simply because two doctors were detained, but because they come during a period in which the boundaries between security enforcement, political dissent and opposition to military mobilization have become increasingly contested in Tigray.
The new proclamation gives authorities broad powers in the name of protecting the "existence and security of the people of Tigray." Human Rights Watch has warned that vaguely worded provisions could criminalize legitimate criticism and peaceful opposition to mobilization.
Against that backdrop, allegations that Dr. Alem organized young people, sought to create unrest, attempted to overthrow the government and made critical comments on Facebook raise broader questions about how the proclamation and related security measures are being applied.
For Dr. Alem, however, the immediate concern is now his health. After roughly three weeks behind bars and repeated extensions of his detention, people who visited him on August 7 say his condition has deteriorated considerably.
The growing concern is therefore no longer limited to whether Dr. Alem will receive a fair and timely judicial process. It is also whether he will be allowed to receive adequate medical care while that process continues.
Dr. Alem is reportedly the only orthopedic and maxillofacial specialist serving the Eastern Zone of Tigray, making his prolonged detention and deteriorating health a concern not only for his rights and wellbeing, but also for patients and communities that depend on his highly specialized medical care.
Originally published on UMD Media Facebook on 2026-08-07T09:00:00-06:00. Source: https://www.facebook.com/getachew.UMDMedia