Ethiopian police says 2600 detainees moved to another prison

Dec 17, 2005 (ADDIS ABABA) — The Ethiopian police announced that more than 2,600 detainees who were put under custody at Dedesa, in south-western Ethiopia, detention centre have been moved to the Ziway prison in south-central Ethiopia.

The detainees are arrested for alleged involvement in last November unrest over a disputed May 15 election.

Up to 9,047 people freed since the crackdown by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s government on demonstrations. They were released after they were found not to be involved in the recent rioting.

It has also indicated that the Dedesa temporary detention centre has been closed.

In a statement it sent to the official ENA on Saturday, the police said, in accordance with the decision of the court for the transfer of the detainees to prison until the prosecutor file charges, some 2,678 suspects have already been moved to the Ziway prison.

The federal police commission said families of the detainees can visit the prisoners in accordance with the prison’s programme.

Police have also indicated that it has been passing investigation files of the suspects who are alleged to have been directly involved in the violence, to the prosecutor.

Violence erupted in the Horn of Africa nation following the May 15 elections, which the opposition claims were fraudulently won by Meles’s ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front.

(ST/ENA)