Peter Pal Jola’s daughter revealed that he departed Kitchener, Ontario, for Ethiopia in March on what was intended to be a brief trip to distribute supplies. However, the 67-year-old Canadian citizen ended up stuck at the airport without ever leaving.
According to Nyarieni Pal, her father’s plan was to deliver goods to individuals in his hometown in war-torn South Sudan, where the local population has been severely affected by ongoing conflict and hunger. Among the items were a few pairs of walkie-talkies purchased by Jola from Amazon. Unfortunately, the possession of these devices, which are restricted in Ethiopia, led to Jola being charged with three counts of importing military equipment, with each count carrying a potential 10-year prison sentence.
Initially, Jola was informed that he could leave the walkie-talkies at the airport for later retrieval on his return to Canada. However, the situation changed swiftly upon discovering his intention to transport the devices to the South Sudanese border, resulting in the charges.
Despite facing health challenges such as diabetes, a suspected kidney tumor, and mobility issues, Jola is being held at Kaliti maximum-security prison in Addis Ababa. His daughter mentioned that they have been sending him financial support for basic needs, including food and water.
While Canadian Embassy consular officials have visited Jola several times, they have conveyed their limited capacity to intervene in the local judicial system. Aaron Shull, from the Centre for International Governance Innovation, emphasized the constraints on what the Canadian government can do and highlighted the importance of consular assistance and diplomatic efforts in such cases.
Ethiopia’s Information Network Security Agency has a list of restricted import and export items, which includes walkie-talkies. The family is now seeking a letter of support from the Canadian government and has initiated a GoFundMe campaign to cover legal expenses. Global Affairs Canada is providing consular support to the family but declined to comment further due to privacy concerns.
Pal remains optimistic about her father’s situation but stresses the significance of Canadian government involvement in securing his release from prison in Ethiopia.
