Bashir Ahmed Maktal

Bashir Ahmed Makhtal is a citizen of Canada who was captured fleeing the civil war in Somalia.cite news
url=http://www.somaliherald.com/artman/publish/printer_1457.shtml
title=Canadian Held in Ethiopia Could Face Death Penalty
publisher=Somali Herald
date=2008-06-07
accessdate=2008-07-29
quote= [http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.somaliherald.com%2Fartman%2Fpublish%2Farticle_1457.shtml&date=2008-07-29 mirror] ] cite news
url=http://www.humanrightshouse.org/dllvis5.asp?id=5536
title=U.S. Foreign Policy Saps Human Rights Improvements in Ethiopia and Equatorial Guinea
author=Lynn Fredriksson
publisher=Amnesty International
date=2007-05-10
accessdate=2008-07-29
quote=] Makhtal is of Somalian ethnic heritage. His grandfather is from a enclave of ethnic Somalians in Ethiopia. His grandfather had lead a separatist group.

Makhtal was working as a used clothing merchant in Somalia. When the civil war heated up, and he fled to Kenya, he was apprehended by Kenyan border guards.Makhtal was transferred to Ethiopian custody.

Deepak Obhrai, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Parliament of Canada, traveled to Ethiopia to inquire about Maktal's situation.He was assured in March 2008 that Maktal is alive and well. However, no charges have been announced.

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