At least 1,000 people have been detained across Ethiopia since the state of emergency was declared. Most of them are members of the country’s Tigrian ethnic group. This information was given in a statement of the United Nations on Tuesday. News Qatar-based Al Jazeera.
Prime Minister Abi Ahmed’s government is in power in Ethiopia. Tigers have been fighting with the People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) in Tigris for over a year. The TPLF controls the northern part of the country’s Tigris region. The state of emergency was declared on November 2.
The state of emergency will continue for the next six months, the government said in a statement. At this time, the suspect can be arrested if he wants, the detainee can be kept without trial until the state of emergency is over. Besides, the law enforcement agencies will be able to conduct house-to-house searches without any warrant.
A statement from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said at least 1,000 people had been detained in the past two weeks. According to some reports, this number is much higher. Most of the detainees are Tigris.
Tulu, a spokesman for the Ethiopian government, did not comment to Reuters on the detention. Earlier, police said that the arrests were aimed at TPLF supporters. There is no point in harassing people of small nationalities.
The detainees, meanwhile, include several UN staff members in the country. Liz Thrissell, a spokeswoman for the UN’s human rights body, confirmed the matter. He told reporters in Geneva, Switzerland, that 34 drivers under contract with the company were still in custody. “I urge the release of all those who are still detained,” he said. If not, the reasons for detention should be reviewed by a court or other independent and impartial tribunal. Or they should be formally charged.
Thousands have been killed in clashes between the TPLF and the Ethiopian government over the past year. More than 20 lakh residents of the country have been displaced. Crisis like famine has occurred due to conflict. Millions of people are suffering from it.
