Jawar Mohammed (; ግእዝ፡ ጃዋር መሐመድ born 12 May 1986) is an Ethiopian political analyst and activist. One of the founders of the Oromia Media Network (OMN), Jawar was a leading organizer of the

2014–2016 Oromo protests The 2014–2016 Oromo protests were a series of protests and resistance in Oromia which first sparked on 25 April 2014. The initial actions were taken in opposition to the 2014 Addis Ababa Master Plan, Addis Ababa Master Plan, and resumed on 12 ...

. He has been credited with toppling the incumbent government in February 2018 and bringing

Abiy Ahmed Abiy Ahmed Ali (; ; born 15 August 1976) is an Ethiopian politician who is the current Prime Minister of Ethiopia since 2018 and the leader of the Prosperity Party since 2019. He rose through the ranks of government via the Information Networ ...

to power.

Early life and education

Jawar Mohammed was born on 12 May 1986 in the Dhumuga,

Arsi Province Arsi Province (Amharic: አርሲ) was a province of Ethiopian Empire with its capital at Asella. Historically a part of the Emirate of Harar until its invasion by Menelik and subsequent incorporation into modern Ethiopia. The province was reduc ...

bordering

Hararghe Hararghe ( ''Harärge''; Harari language, Harari: ሀረርጌ፞ይ, هَرَرْݘٛىيْ,''Harargêy'', Oromo language, Oromo: Harargee, ) was a provinces of Ethiopia, province of eastern Ethiopia with its capital in Harar. Etymology Harargh ...

. His father was Arsi Oromo, of Muslim faith, while his mother an Orthodox Christian; the inter-religious union was novel but gained acceptance within the community. Jawar describes his father as non practicing Muslim and Communist while his paternal grandfather was officially Muslim but seemed

atheist Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there no ...

. In contrast to his Christian grandparents who he describes very religious Orthodox Christians. He regularly attends Church with his

Lutheran Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...

wife. Jawar began his formal education at a Catholic school in Asella. He attended secondary school in

Adama Adama ( Oromo: ', Amharic: አዳማ), formerly Nazreth (), is one of the cities of Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Located in the East Shewa Zone southeast of the capital, Addis Ababa, the city sits between the base of an escarpment to the west, ...

until 2003, when he was awarded a scholarship to study at the United World College of South East Asia in Singapore, from which he graduated in 2005. He described his experience at the UWC as awakening his consciousness to his own Oromo identity. He graduated from

Stanford University Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University, is a Private university, private research university in Stanford, California, United States. It was founded in 1885 by railroad magnate Leland Stanford (the eighth ...

in 2009 with a degree in political science, and acquired a Master's in human rights from

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

, in 2012. Dandii Jawaar Jawar Street

Career

Legal issues

On 30 June 2020, Jawar along with Bekele Gerba, Eskinder Nega and Sintayew Chekol were arrested by government amidst a

riot A riot or mob violence is a form of civil disorder commonly characterized by a group lashing out in a violent public disturbance against authority, property, or people. Riots typically involve destruction of property, public or private. The p ...

sparked after singer Hachalu Hundessa murder. They were charged with terrorism in context of "inciting violence" at the crackdown. On 5 February 2021, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) Chief Commissioner Daniel Bekele said that "very close supervision is required to prevent any grave threat to their health and life and that reasonably justified demands of the prisoners must be addressed" following reports indicating their health condition deterioration and undergoing

hunger strike A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance where participants fasting, fast as an act of political protest, usually with the objective of achieving a specific goal, such as a policy change. Hunger strikers that do not take fluids are ...

at prison. On 7 January 2022, the Ethiopian government announced it would release several political prisoners including Jawar, stating it was "to pave the way for a lasting solution to Ethiopia’s problems in a peaceful, non-violent way" through a “national dialogue”.

2024 memoir

Jawar published a 500 page memoir titled '' I Will Not Regret'' (Amharic: አልፀፀትም, Oromo: ''Hin Gaabbu'' on 19 December 2024 and unveiled in

Nairobi Nairobi is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Kenya. The city lies in the south-central part of Kenya, at an elevation of . The name is derived from the Maasai language, Maasai phrase , which translates to 'place of cool waters', a ...

, Kenya. The book is centered around his life and persecutions under the Ethiopian government, especially during the Hachalu Hundessa riots. He explained "At first, it was difficult to even obtain paper. Later, with the help of prison guards and others, I managed to smuggle the pages out one by one".

References

External links

Official Jawar Mohammed Facebook
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mohammed, Jawar 1986 births Living people People from Oromia Ethiopian journalists Ethiopian activists Ethiopian politicians Stanford University alumni Columbia University alumni Hunger strikers Ethiopian emigrants to the United States People educated at a United World College Oromo politicians