Ethiopia police frees 285 detainees

Nov 9, 2005 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopian police said Wednesday it had freed some 285 people who were detained last week when deadly street riots hit the Horn of African nation.

The released were part an unknown number of people, mostly supporters of the opposition Coalition of Unity and Democracy (CUD) party, held in Zewai Detention Centre, south of the capital Addis Ababa.

Some “285 detaines are freed today after police found that they were not involved in the unrest and (there was) no evidence is found against them,” the federal police said in a statement read in state TV and radio.

The release came on the day at least two people were killed when rioting students clashed with police in southwest Ethiopia.

The latest clashes occurred in in Ambo town, some 200 kilometres (125 miles) southwest of Addis Ababa.

But other diplomats said up to five people may have been killed and 17 others injured in the fresh skirmishes that erupted after a five-day lull.

Last week, election violence claimed the lives of at least 46 people and more than 200 others injured when police dispersed rioting mobs in the capital and four other towns in the country, protesting alleged fraud in the May 15 polls.

Also Wednesday, the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) signed an agreement with five regional allied parties to strengthen their cooperation.

The CUD party, whose entire leadership is in police custody, has blamed the EPRDF for stealing its way to victory in the May polls.

(AFP/ST)