Peter Pal Jola’s daughter revealed that he departed from Kitchener, Ontario, to Ethiopia in March on a brief journey to distribute supplies. However, the 67-year-old Canadian national never made it past the airport. “He didn’t intend to stay long,” Nyarieni Pal mentioned in an interview with CBC News, stating that he planned to visit friends and family. Jola aimed to provide aid to individuals in his hometown in South Sudan, which has been deeply affected by ongoing conflicts and hunger. Among the supplies were a few walkie-talkies purchased online from Amazon, which are restricted in Ethiopia. This led to Jola facing three charges of importing military equipment, each carrying a potential 10-year prison sentence.
Initially, Jola was informed that he could leave the walkie-talkies at the airport to collect later on his return to Canada. However, the situation changed once authorities discovered his intention to transport them to the South Sudanese border. Pal expressed frustration, emphasizing that her father’s sole motive was to assist those impacted by the conflict who needed a means of communication to reconnect with loved ones.
Jola is currently detained at Kaliti maximum-security prison in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where inmates are responsible for covering their basic needs, including medication. Pal highlighted her father’s health issues, such as diabetes, a suspected kidney tumor, and mobility challenges following a past car accident. Despite regular financial support sent from Canada to cover his necessities, the Canadian Embassy has indicated limited ability to intervene in the legal proceedings.
Aaron Shull, the managing director and general counsel at the Centre for International Governance Innovation, explained that the Canadian government’s options in such cases are restricted. While they can offer consular aid, advocacy, and engage in diplomatic efforts, they cannot compel a release. Ethiopia’s Information Network Security Agency has a list of restricted items that includes walkie-talkies, among others, restricting what actions Canada can take in this situation.
Pal emphasized that her father was unaware of the laws regarding walkie-talkies in Ethiopia and remains hopeful for his release. The family is seeking a letter of support from the Canadian government to aid in his case, alongside initiating a GoFundMe campaign for legal expenses. Global Affairs Canada acknowledged the situation, providing consular support while refraining from commenting on specific details due to privacy concerns. Pal urged the Canadian government to treat this matter seriously and questioned how they would handle it if the detainee were a higher-ranking official.