Share

Over 1 100 arrested under Ethiopia state of emergency

More than 1 100 people have been arrested in Ethiopia since the nation declared a state of emergency following the prime minister's resignation last month, state media reported on Saturday.

Hailemariam Desalegn's surprise resignation came after more than two years of anti-government protests and increasing divisions in the ruling party.

The Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) has for the first time picked an ethnic Oromo, Abiy Ahmed, to be its new leader.

He is set to be sworn in as prime minister early next week.

KEEP UPDATED on the latest news from around the continent by subscribing to our FREE newsletter, Hello Africa.

FOLLOW News24 Africa on Twitter and Facebook. 

The state-affiliated Fana Broadcast Corporate said 1 107 people have been detained for violating the emergency decree, which suspends the constitution and allows police to hold people without trial.

"They were detained for killing peaceful civilians and security forces, setting houses and financial institutions ablaze, illicit movement of firearms, destroying government and public institutions (and) blocking roads," Fana reported, citing Tadesse Hordofa, chairman of a board overseeing the decree.

Ethiopia spiralled into crisis in late 2015 when the country's largest ethnicity the Oromo began protesting a plan to expand the borders of the capital Addis Ababa into the surrounding Oromia region.

A 10-month state of emergency declared in October 2016 quelled the unrest but only after hundreds of deaths and tens of thousands of arrests.

The arrests under the latest state of emergency were mainly in Oromia, but also in the Amhara region, where anti-government sentiment is also strong, the broadcaster reported.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
In times of uncertainty you need journalism you can trust. For 14 free days, you can have access to a world of in-depth analyses, investigative journalism, top opinions and a range of features. Journalism strengthens democracy. Invest in the future today. Thereafter you will be billed R75 per month. You can cancel anytime and if you cancel within 14 days you won't be billed. 
Subscribe to News24
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Who do you think should lead the Democratic Alliance after the party’s upcoming national congress in April?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
John Steenhuisen for sure, he’s got the experience
63% - 1064 votes
Mpho Phalatse, the DA needs a fresh outlook
37% - 616 votes
Vote
Rand - Dollar
18.17
-0.5%
Rand - Pound
22.22
+0.0%
Rand - Euro
19.55
+0.3%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.08
+0.1%
Rand - Yen
0.14
-0.5%
Platinum
979.10
-0.6%
Palladium
1,421.38
-0.1%
Gold
1,976.74
-0.9%
Silver
23.15
+0.2%
Brent Crude
75.91
-1.0%
Top 40
69,181
-1.3%
All Share
74,695
-1.2%
Resource 10
64,294
-1.4%
Industrial 25
101,619
-1.0%
Financial 15
15,178
-1.6%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE