Horn News Hub | August 9, 2026
Tigrayan human rights advocates and social media users have launched an online campaign calling for justice for Zewdu Haftu, using the hashtag #AshendaInBlack and posting photographs of themselves in black versions of traditional Ashenda clothing.
The campaign follows a ruling this week by the Central Court of Mekelle, which acquitted two men previously sentenced to life imprisonment for Haftu’s murder. According to sources familiar with the proceedings, the convictions were overturned after key digital evidence was found to be missing from the archived case file and could not be retrieved from federal authorities.
Ashenda is traditionally celebrated by women and girls across Tigray, who wear colorful traditional clothing, decorate themselves with jewelry, sing, dance, and gather in groups during the festival. The celebration is also considered an important expression of Tigrayan cultural identity, including among communities living outside the region.
Campaign participants are calling on women and girls to mark this year’s Ashenda festival in black traditional dress instead of the colorful attire typically worn during the celebration, using the occasion to express grief and call for accountability. Photographs shared online show women and girls dressed in black, with some posts including messages referencing Haftu’s case and others using the hashtag alone to show solidarity.
Haftu, a 32 year old resident of Mekelle, was killed in her hometown on August 19, 2023, during the Ashenda season. According to testimony presented in court, she was walking with a friend, Semhal Gebregziabiher, when she was attacked. Witnesses said she resisted an attempted sexual assault before being fatally struck by a vehicle.
The case has been marked by lengthy delays and allegations of political interference.
Gebregziabiher, a key witness, was reportedly detained for more than eight months without charge. In May 2026, a disturbance involving relatives of the defendants disrupted proceedings inside the Mekelle Central Court as the case neared sentencing, prompting authorities to temporarily suspend judicial and prosecutorial work and close courts in Mekelle citing security concerns.
The Mekelle Zone Court had previously sentenced Yared Gebreselassie and Angesom Hailemariam to life imprisonment in connection with Haftu’s killing.
Their convictions were overturned this week after the appellate court found that the complete case file was missing from the archive. Police were ordered to retrieve the evidence again from federal authorities but reported they were unable to do so, according to sources familiar with the case.
The court then acquitted the two men and ordered their release.
The ruling has drawn renewed attention to the case, with campaign participants questioning how the evidence went missing and calling for further accountability.
The AshendaInBlack campaign has spread among Tigrayan communities outside the region, with users continuing to post photographs in black traditional clothing to express support for Haftu’s family and demand justice.
Source፡Wegahta Fact
