Diplomats visit Ethiopian detention camp for protesters
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, June 22, 2005 (AP) — Ethiopia has for the first time allowed diplomats to visit a detention facility in southern Ethiopia holding an unspecified number of people detained during deadly election protests, an Irish diplomat said Wednesday.
During three days of protests that started June 6 against alleged electoral fraud in last month’s parliamentary elections, police shot at demonstrators, killing at least 36. Police later killed a newly elected opposition leader in southern Ethiopia. Six policemen were arrested for the politician’s death.
Ethiopian federal police have said that an unspecified number of people arrested during the protests have been held at Ziway, 150 kilometers south of the capital.
“We visited the camp this morning to check on the conditions of the detainees. We were granted permission after requests from a number of embassies,” Don Sexton, charge d’affaires of the Irish embassy, told The Associated Press.
Sexton refused to say anything about the conditions the mission saw, saying a statement on that would be issued later.
On June 15, Human Rights Watch said that thousands of people were arrested across Ethiopia following the violent clashes, including student activists and opposition supporters.
The government has since announced the release of about 700 people.