An online petition protesting the 25-year prison sentence given to Getnet Baye, the man convicted of raping and killing 7-year-old Heaven Awot, has garnered over 240,000 signatures. The petition, launched on Wednesday, August 21, calls for a harsher penalty, arguing that the sentence is too lenient for such a heinous crime.
Getnet was sentenced last week for the brutal attack on Heaven, which took place in August 2023 in Bahir Dar, located in Ethiopia’s Amhara region. Despite the conviction, Getnet has announced plans to appeal the sentence, with the case now adjourned until October 2024.
Heaven’s mother, Abekyelesh Adeba, expressed her deep grief, telling the BBC she feels “lifeless” after losing her daughter. The Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association (EWLA) has also criticized the sentence, labeling it “very light” and advocating for life imprisonment or the death penalty, given the severity of the crime and the victim’s young age.
Government officials, including Ergogie Tesfaye, Ethiopia’s Minister for Women and Social Affairs, have condemned the sentence, describing the crime as “inhumane” and vowing to take further action. Heaven’s tragic death has sparked a broader conversation about the safety of women and girls in Ethiopia, particularly in the context of the ongoing conflict in the Tigray region, which has been linked to a rise in sexual violence.
Before the attack, Heaven’s family had already been impacted by the Tigray conflict, with her father imprisoned and later fleeing to the region. Heaven was attacked by Getnet, her mother’s landlord, while under the care of her aunt. Her mutilated body was discovered outside their home, a grim reminder of the dangers facing vulnerable children in the country.
