Hisham Ali Mohammad Ali stabbed in Addis Ababa
On 23 December 2025, human rights defender Hisham Ali Mohammad Ali, also known as Husham Ali (Wad galeba), was stabbed twice with a knife in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in what appears to be a targeted attack.
Hisham Ali Mohammad Ali is a Sudanese blogger and human rights defender. He has contributed to various online forums and news websites and has been vocal about corruption and the practice of torture in Sudan. He has also been an advocate of civil disobedience in Sudan, including the “stay-at-home strikes” that began in late 2016 in protest against human rights violations, government austerity measures, and corruption.
On 23 December 2025, human rights defender Hisham Ali Mohammad Ali, also known as Husham Ali (Wad galeba), was stabbed twice with a knife in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in what appears to be a targeted attack.
Hisham Ali Mohammad Ali is a Sudanese blogger and human rights defender. He has contributed to various online forums and news websites and has been vocal about corruption and the practice of torture in Sudan. He has also been an advocate of civil disobedience in Sudan, including the “stay-at-home strikes” that began in late 2016 in protest against human rights violations, government austerity measures, and corruption.
According to information reported to Front Line Defenders, on 23 December 2025, at approximately 8:00 pm, an unidentified assailant stopped the human rights defender and immediately attacked and stabbed him without making any demands. The incident did not appear to be an attempted robbery, as none of his belongings were taken. Following the attack, the human rights defender was transported to hospital, where he received urgent medical treatment. While initial reports indicated that he was in a critical condition, it was later confirmed that he did not sustain internal injuries to the abdomen and remains under medical supervision.
According to the human rights defender, police officers recorded his statement while he was in hospital and requested that he report to the police station the following day. At the moment, the identity of the attacker and the motive behind the assault remain unknown.
In July 2024, the human rights defender was reportedly arrested in Ethiopia, with information indicating the involvement of the Sudanese embassy. His Sudanese passport is currently invalid, and authorities in Sudan have reportedly refused to renew travel documents for him and his family, placing them in a precarious situation. Hishim Ali Mohammed Ali has continued to publish regular articles opposing the ongoing war in Sudan, criticising all parties to the conflict, which has made him a target for multiple actors.
Front Line Defenders is deeply concerned for the physical safety and wellbeing of the human rights defender, Hisham Ali Mohammad Ali, particularly given the targeted nature of the attack and the broader context of previous harassment, threats, and restrictions he has faced. Front Line Defenders believes that the physical attack on Hisham Ali Mohammad Ali may be directly linked to his peaceful and legitimate human rights activities.
Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Ethiopia to:
- Carry out an immediate, thorough, and impartial investigation into the stabbing of Hisham Ali Mohammad Ali, with a view to identifying those responsible and holding them a ccountable in accordance with international standards;
- Take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Hisham Ali Mohammad Ali.
