Abay, a reporter for the weekly Agiere and editor-in-chief of the now-defunct Welafen, died after nearly one year in prison. Initially refused treatment for a deteriorating medical condition, he was eventually hospitalized but died five days later. He was arrested on February 22, 1997, after publishing a report about the threat of Islamic fundamentalism in Ethiopia. He remained in jail because he was unable to meet bail and was sentenced in November to a year in prison.