Ethiopia: Arrest of opposition leader an outrageous assault on freedom of expression

Reacting to news of the arrest of Ethiopian opposition leader Merera Gudina, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes, Michelle Kagari said:

“The arrest of Merera Gudina is an outrageous assault on the right to freedom of expression and should sound alarm bells for anyone with an interest in ending the deadly protests that have rocked Ethiopia over the past year.”  

“This is a move that will exacerbate, rather than ease, the underlying tensions currently simmering in the country. Instead of resorting to further repression and clamp-downs, the Ethiopian government must urgently and meaningfully address the human rights grievances that are fuelling unrest.”