--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was arrested in September 2011 and…" description: "\"I was arrested in September 2011 and detained for nine months before I was found guilty in June 2012 under Ethiopia's overly broad Anti-Terrorism Procl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/567/eskinder-nega-31806_acts_i-was-arrested-in-september-2011-and-det_1880770.png" --- # I was arrested in September 2011 and detained for nine… ![“I was arrested in September 2011 and detained for nine months before I was found guilty in June 2012 under Ethiopia's overly broad Anti-Terrorism Proclamation, which ostensibly covers the 'planning, preparation, conspiracy, incitement and attempt' of terrorist acts.” quote by Eskinder Nega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/567/eskinder-nega-31806_acts_i-was-arrested-in-september-2011-and-det_1880770.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/567/eskinder-nega-31806_acts_i-was-arrested-in-september-2011-and-det_1880770.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/567/eskinder-nega-31806_acts_i-was-arrested-in-september-2011-and-det_1880770.png) > “I was arrested in September 2011 and detained for nine months before I was found guilty in June 2012 under Ethiopia's overly broad Anti-Terrorism Proclamation, which ostensibly covers the 'planning, preparation, conspiracy, incitement and attempt' of terrorist acts.” [Eskinder Nega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eskinder-nega/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The law’s vague language allowed prolonged detention without proof, highlighting abuse of anti‑terrorism statutes. **In simple terms:** Vague laws enable abuse. Key Takeaway Advocate for precise legal definitions. Themes justice law human rights Mood somber urgent Type political activist When to use this quote - prison reform - journalism - activism - policy advocacy Key Concepts legal theory political repression civil liberties Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards can prevent such misuse? - How can societies balance security and freedom? A Different Perspective Legal reforms may face political resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [2011 Detained](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/2011-detained-2654491/) [Acts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acts/) [Arrested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrested/) [Arrested September](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrested-september-2654493/) [Attempt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attempt/) [Before](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/before/) [Broad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/broad/) [Conspiracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conspiracy/) [Covers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/covers/) [Detained Months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/detained-months-2654492/) [Ethiopia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethiopia/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Guilty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilty/) [June](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/june/) [Months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/months/) [Nine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nine/) [Nine months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nine-months/) [Overly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overly/) [Planning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planning/) [Preparation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preparation/) [Proclamation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proclamation/) [September](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/september/) [Terrorism Proclamation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorism-proclamation-2654494/) [Terrorist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorist/) [Terrorist Acts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorist-acts-476824/) [Which](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/which/) ## Related quotes > [True terror is a language and a vision. There is a deep narrative structure to terrorist acts, and they infiltrate and alter consciousness in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/true-terror-is-a-language-and-a-vision-there-is-a-deep-narrative/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [Take a look at the Supreme Court decision that just authorized an effort by U.S. claimants against Iran for terrorist acts. What are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/take-a-look-at-the-supreme-court-decision-that-just-authorized-an/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [American credibility in the war on terrorism depends on a strong stand against all terrorist acts, whether committed by foe or friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/american-credibility-in-the-war-on-terrorism-depends-on-a-strong/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) > [Remember, the U.S. is a powerful state, it's not like Libya. If Libya wants to carry out terrorist acts, they hire Carlos the Jackal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/remember-the-u-s-is-a-powerful-state-it-s-not-like-libya-if-libya/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [We do have to balance this issue of privacy and security. Those who pretend that there's no balance that has to be struck and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-do-have-to-balance-this-issue-of-privacy-and-security-those-who/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ If it \[a country\] looks like a terrorist, if it acts like a terrorist, if it walks like a terrorist, if it fights like… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergey-lavrov/if-it-a-country-looks-like-a-terrorist-if-it-acts-like-a-terrorist-if/) [Sergey Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergey-lavrov/) > [From a moral point of view, there is no excuse for terrorist acts, regardless of the motive or the situation under which they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurgen-habermas/from-a-moral-point-of-view-there-is-no-excuse-for-terrorist-acts/) [Jurgen Habermas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurgen-habermas/) > [Muslims who commit terrorist acts are perverting their religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-r-mcmaster/muslims-who-commit-terrorist-acts-are-perverting-their-religion/) [H. R. McMaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-r-mcmaster/) > [When people, particularly young people and especially young men, can't imagine themselves as heroes in narratives that they construct for themselves, they look to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/when-people-particularly-young-people-and-especially-young-men-can-t/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [“The Executive Committee of the People's Will had scored it's biggest success on 1 March 1881 by assassinating Alexander II, but also its biggest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/the-executive-committee-of-the-people-s-will-had-scored-it-s-biggest/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) > [No Afghans, as far as we know, have been involved in terrorist acts against our country. We shouldn't be swatting at hornets' nests we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-goetzman/no-afghans-as-far-as-we-know-have-been-involved-in-terrorist-acts/) [Gary Goetzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-goetzman/) > [A total of 1,580 people, the civilian population, suffered as a result of the bloody wave of terrorist acts that swept over Moscow and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-yeltsin/a-total-of-1-580-people-the-civilian-population-suffered-as-a-result/) [Boris Yeltsin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-yeltsin/) > [We seriously suspect the agents of the Americans and Israelis in conducting such horrendous terrorist acts and cannot believe the people who kidnap Philippines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-khamenei/we-seriously-suspect-the-agents-of-the-americans-and-israelis-in/) [Ali Khamenei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-khamenei/) > [It is impossible for a person who fears Allah to commit terrorist acts because of his faith. Such acts are committed by people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harun-yahya/it-is-impossible-for-a-person-who-fears-allah-to-commit-terrorist/) [Harun Yahya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harun-yahya/) > [Let me say this loud and clear. There is a world of difference between terrorist acts and the Islamic Shari'a. Islam is not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/king-hussein-i/let-me-say-this-loud-and-clear-there-is-a-world-of-difference-between/) [King Hussein I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/king-hussein-i/) ## More by Eskinder Nega > [Tyranny is increasingly unsustainable in this post-cold-war era. It is doomed to failure. But it must be prodded to exit the stage with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eskinder-nega/tyranny-is-increasingly-unsustainable-in-this-post-cold-war-era-it-is/) [Eskinder Nega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eskinder-nega/) > [As Ethiopia goes, so goes the whole Horn of Africa - a region where instability can have major security and humanitarian implications for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eskinder-nega/as-ethiopia-goes-so-goes-the-whole-horn-of-africa-a-region-where/) [Eskinder Nega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eskinder-nega/) > [As a prisoner of conscience committed to peaceful transition to democracy, I urge Europe to apply economic sanctions against Ethiopia. What short-term pain may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eskinder-nega/as-a-prisoner-of-conscience-committed-to-peaceful-transition-to/) [Eskinder Nega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eskinder-nega/) > [Freedom is partial to no race. Freedom has no religion. Freedom favors no ethnicity. Freedom discriminates not between rich and poor countries. Inevitably freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eskinder-nega/freedom-is-partial-to-no-race-freedom-has-no-religion-freedom-favors/) [Eskinder Nega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eskinder-nega/) > [I distinctly remember the vivacious optimism that inundated the United States when the Soviet Union imploded in the early 1990s. This was not glee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eskinder-nega/i-distinctly-remember-the-vivacious-optimism-that-inundated-the/) [Eskinder Nega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eskinder-nega/) > [We live in an age of global expectations. Our hopes have converged in many ways, none more so than in our democratic aspirations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eskinder-nega/we-live-in-an-age-of-global-expectations-our-hopes-have-converged-in/) [Eskinder Nega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eskinder-nega/) > [Under the previous regime of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, I was detained. So was my wife, Serkalem Fasil. She gave birth to our son…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eskinder-nega/under-the-previous-regime-of-prime-minister-meles-zenawi-i-was/) [Eskinder Nega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eskinder-nega/) > [Wont to unlearn from history, we aptly repeat even its most brazen mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eskinder-nega/wont-to-unlearn-from-history-we-aptly-repeat-even-its-most-brazen/) [Eskinder Nega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eskinder-nega/) > [I am jailed, with around 200 other inmates, in a wide hall that looks like a warehouse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eskinder-nega/i-am-jailed-with-around-200-other-inmates-in-a-wide-hall-that-looks/) [Eskinder Nega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eskinder-nega/) > [I sleep in peace, even if only in the company of lice, behind bars. The same could not be said of my incarcerators though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eskinder-nega/i-sleep-in-peace-even-if-only-in-the-company-of-lice-behind-bars-the/) [Eskinder Nega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eskinder-nega/) > [All the great crimes of history, lest we forget, have their genesis in the moral wilderness of their times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eskinder-nega/all-the-great-crimes-of-history-lest-we-forget-have-their-genesis-in/) [Eskinder Nega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eskinder-nega/) > [Aggregate aid is to the Ethiopian economy what Obama's fiscal stimulus was to the American economy: minus these injections, both economies would suffer catastrophically.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eskinder-nega/aggregate-aid-is-to-the-ethiopian-economy-what-obama-s-fiscal/) [Eskinder Nega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eskinder-nega/) > [Democracy is a destiny of humanity which cannot be averted. It can be delayed but not defeated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eskinder-nega/democracy-is-a-destiny-of-humanity-which-cannot-be-averted-it-can-be/) [Eskinder Nega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eskinder-nega/) > [I've never conspired to overthrow the government; all I did was report on the Arab Spring and suggest that something similar might happen in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eskinder-nega/i-ve-never-conspired-to-overthrow-the-government-all-i-did-was-report/) [Eskinder Nega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eskinder-nega/) > [In the long march of history, at least two poles of attraction and antagonism have been the norm in world politics. Rarely has only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eskinder-nega/in-the-long-march-of-history-at-least-two-poles-of-attraction-and/) [Eskinder Nega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eskinder-nega/) [Explore all 16 Eskinder Nega quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eskinder-nega/) ## More Acts quotes > [Each of our acts makes a statement as to our purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/each-of-our-acts-makes-a-statement-as-to-our-purpose/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/) [Joe Pitts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-pitts/) > [God only acts and is, in existing beings or men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/god-only-acts-and-is-in-existing-beings-or-men/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [Poetry is a lousy form of activism; it doesn't really change much. And maybe we can point to one or two historical times when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-gottlieb/poetry-is-a-lousy-form-of-activism-it-doesn-t-really-change-much-and/) [Daphne Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-gottlieb/) > [We are surrounded every day by countless acts of immeasurable kindness and goodwill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bel-edwards/we-are-surrounded-every-day-by-countless-acts-of-immeasurable/) [John Bel Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bel-edwards/) > [Foreign journalists have to have an approved interpreter assigned them, which they have to pay for, who also acts as guide. As an Iranian,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hooman-majd/foreign-journalists-have-to-have-an-approved-interpreter-assigned/) [Hooman Majd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hooman-majd/) > [I believe that homosexual acts between individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts. I do not believe that the Armed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-pace/i-believe-that-homosexual-acts-between-individuals-are-immoral-and/) [Peter Pace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-pace/) > [“The book of Luke is the account of the Spirit-empowered ministry of Jesus on the earth, and Acts is the account of the Spirit-empowered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/the-book-of-luke-is-the-account-of-the-spirit-empowered-ministry-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [I don't meditate before I play or compose, but I see playing and composing as meditative acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-swallow/i-don-t-meditate-before-i-play-or-compose-but-i-see-playing-and/) [Steve Swallow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-swallow/) > [“In Acts, every believer was living in a direct relationship with Him (Christ) and each one functioned normally as a member of His body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hon/in-acts-every-believer-was-living-in-a-direct-relationship-with-him/) [Henry Hon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hon/) > [Ladies seem very intrigued by a guy who is ultra confident and acts like he doesn't need you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorma-taccone/ladies-seem-very-intrigued-by-a-guy-who-is-ultra-confident-and-acts/) [Jorma Taccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorma-taccone/) > [In the name of noble purposes men have committed unspeakable acts of cruelty against one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/in-the-name-of-noble-purposes-men-have-committed-unspeakable-acts-of/) [J. William Fulbright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-fulbright/) > [How do you make the timelessness of inert, silent objects count for something? How to use the, in a way, dumbness of sculpture in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-gormley/how-do-you-make-the-timelessness-of-inert-silent-objects-count-for/) [Antony Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-gormley/) > [Only free people have an incentive to be virtuous. Only people who bear the consequences of their own acts will care about those consequences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/only-free-people-have-an-incentive-to-be-virtuous-only-people-who/) [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) > [The legitimacy of coercive acts in a democracy arises from the process by which they are justified and by the degree to which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/the-legitimacy-of-coercive-acts-in-a-democracy-arises-from-the/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) [Browse all 251 Acts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acts/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was arrested in September 2011 and detained for nine months before I was found guilty in June 2012 under Ethiopia's overly broad Anti-Terrorism Proclamation, which ostensibly covers the 'planning, preparation, conspiracy, incitement and attempt' of terrorist acts.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eskinder Nega" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eskinder-nega/i-was-arrested-in-september-2011-and-detained-for-nine-months-before/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acts" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eskinder-nega/i-was-arrested-in-september-2011-and-detained-for-nine-months-before/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/567/eskinder-nega-31806_acts_i-was-arrested-in-september-2011-and-det_1880770.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/567/eskinder-nega-31806_acts_i-was-arrested-in-september-2011-and-det_1880770.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/567/eskinder-nega-31806_acts_i-was-arrested-in-september-2011-and-det_1880770.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was arrested in September 2011 and detained for nine months before I was found guilty in June 2012 under…” — Eskinder Nega", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Eskinder Nega", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eskinder-nega/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was arrested in September 2011...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eskinder-nega/i-was-arrested-in-september-2011-and-detained-for-nine-months-before/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eskinder-nega/i-was-arrested-in-september-2011-and-detained-for-nine-months-before/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```