Kelbessa Negewo

Who is Kelbessa Negewo?

Kelbessa Negewo was an Ethiopian official during the Marxist Derg regime while it was in power. According to witnesses, he oversaw the torture and murder of political opponents during the Red Terror; Kelbessa denies a role in the torture that occurred. After the fall of the Derg regime, Kelbessa moved to the United States and later gained US citizenship. In Ethiopia, he was tried and convicted in absentia, and sentenced to life imprisonment. He was later deported to Ethiopia, where he is currently serving his sentence.