Seble Desta

The imprisoned Imperial family spent 14 years in jail, initially under house arrest and then under steadily worsening conditions, until they were locked in a 15-foot cell in Alem Bekagn (the end of the world) prison. After many years of campaigning by the British and other governments, human rights groups and especially the Destas' friends from school and college, the Imperial ladies were released in 1988.

In 1974, the military junta overthrew Emperor Haile Selassie and imprisoned the Imperial Family, including Princess Tenagne Worq and her daughters. Princess Seble had recently given birth and was allowed to remain temporarily free. Until her imprisonment, she unsuccessfully sought help for the Emperor and the imprisoned family members from various foreign embassies.

The junta, under the pretense of affording fair trials requested that members of the Imperial Family, members of the aristocracy, military, academics and Patriots come to the capital. Dejazmach Kassa, like most of the others, willingly came (in his case from overseas). Instead of fair trials, the junta had lured them into a death trap, imprisoning and subsequently murdering 60 of the prisoners in 1974. In 1975, the junta murdered Emperor Haile Selassie. In this carnage, Princess Seble lost her grandfather, uncles, husband and brother. Laly Kassa, Kokeb Kassa and Amaha Kassa escaped confinement and fled to the West in 1977.

In 1959, Princess Seble married Dejazmach Kassa Wolde Mariam, the Jote heir to the Welega Province|Welega kingdom of Leqa Qallam, in a double wedding with her sister, Princess Sophia Desta. Princess Seble and Dejazmach Kassa have five children, YeJote Worq Kassa, Yeshimebet Kassa, Laly (Debritu) Kassa, Kokeb Kassa and Amaha Kassa.

During Mussolinis's invasion of Ethiopia Emperor Haile Selassie, Empress Menen and many members of their family were exiled in Bath, England. Princess Seble's father, Ras Desta, remained in Ethiopia fighting the Italians. In 1937, his location was betrayed and he was captured and killed, against all prisoner of war norms.

Princess Seble Desta (also Princess Sybil Desta) (September 1, 1931 – January 3, 2023) was a member of the Solomonic dynasty, which ruled Ethiopia until 1974. She was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and is the daughter of Princess Tenagnework Haile Selassie and Ras Desta Damtew, and granddaughter of the late former Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia and Empress Menen Asfaw. Princess Seble's paternal grandfather, Fitawrari Damtew Ketema, was martyred during the Ethiopian victory against the Italians at Adwa.