Urgent Appeal for the Immediate Release of Dr. Samuel Hailu and fellow health professionals.
I write this letter with profound concern regarding the detention of my mentor, teacher, and current supervisor, Dr. Samuel Hailu, a pioneering orthopedic trauma and arthroplasty surgeon, who was arrested on May 20, 2025, without clear justification or due process.
I have had the privilege of learning under Dr. Samuel Hailu throughout my medical journey—first as an undergraduate, then as a resident, and now as his fellow in orthopedic trauma and arthroplasty. He is not only an extraordinary surgeon but also a national figure in the development of orthopedic services in Ethiopia. His tireless dedication has shaped trauma systems, trained generations of professionals, and changed the lives of thousands of patients.
Dr. Samuel Hailu’s detention is more than a personal injustice—it is an insult to the Ethiopian orthopedic society and to public health in general. Arresting a physician of his caliber without transparency or legal grounds sends a chilling message to the entire medical community. If someone as respected and accomplished as Dr. Samuel Hailu can be detained arbitrarily, there is no guarantee that our other mentors—or we, his students—will not face the same fate.
Such actions erode the foundations of trust, stability, and progress in our healthcare system and academic institutions.
We respectfully and urgently appeal for:
1. Immediate access to legal representation and necessary medical care for Dr. Samuel Hailu;
2. Full transparency regarding the legal grounds for his detention;
3. His unconditional and immediate release, in the interest of justice, public service, and the continued development of medical care in Ethiopia.
Dr. Samuel Hailu has given his life to healing, teaching, and building the future of orthopedic care in our country. We ask you to uphold the principles he has lived by: justice, integrity, and service to others.
With deep respect and urgency,
Dr. Endrias Habte
Orthopedic Surgeon
Trauma and Arthroplasty subspeciality fellow at TASH
I write this letter with profound concern regarding the detention of my mentor, teacher, and current supervisor, Dr. Samuel Hailu, a pioneering orthopedic trauma and arthroplasty surgeon, who was arrested on May 20, 2025, without clear justification or due process.
I have had the privilege of learning under Dr. Samuel Hailu throughout my medical journey—first as an undergraduate, then as a resident, and now as his fellow in orthopedic trauma and arthroplasty. He is not only an extraordinary surgeon but also a national figure in the development of orthopedic services in Ethiopia. His tireless dedication has shaped trauma systems, trained generations of professionals, and changed the lives of thousands of patients.
Dr. Samuel Hailu’s detention is more than a personal injustice—it is an insult to the Ethiopian orthopedic society and to public health in general. Arresting a physician of his caliber without transparency or legal grounds sends a chilling message to the entire medical community. If someone as respected and accomplished as Dr. Samuel Hailu can be detained arbitrarily, there is no guarantee that our other mentors—or we, his students—will not face the same fate.
Such actions erode the foundations of trust, stability, and progress in our healthcare system and academic institutions.
We respectfully and urgently appeal for:
1. Immediate access to legal representation and necessary medical care for Dr. Samuel Hailu;
2. Full transparency regarding the legal grounds for his detention;
3. His unconditional and immediate release, in the interest of justice, public service, and the continued development of medical care in Ethiopia.
Dr. Samuel Hailu has given his life to healing, teaching, and building the future of orthopedic care in our country. We ask you to uphold the principles he has lived by: justice, integrity, and service to others.
With deep respect and urgency,
Dr. Endrias Habte
Orthopedic Surgeon
Trauma and Arthroplasty subspeciality fellow at TASH