(VOA) — Amnesty International issued a report today saying that the Ethiopian authorities Woyanne junta have been using anti-terror laws as a pretext to arrest and silence politicians and journalists who criticize government policies.
In a report released Friday, the human rights group said at least 114 opposition politicians and six journalists have been arrested since March.
Amnesty said, in many cases, calls for peaceful protests or attempts to conduct investigative journalism have been interpreted as acts of terrorism or other criminal wrongdoing.
While journalists and politicians in Ethiopia have been subject to arrests in the past, the report said the recent increase in terror charges represents “a new level of repression” in the government’s efforts to stifle political dissent.
Amnesty also criticized several senior Ethiopian government Woyanne officials, including Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, for making public comments that imply that all terror suspects are guilty. The group says it does not believe they will receive a fair trial.
Ethiopia’s Woyanne’s broad anti-terrorism laws went into effect earlier this year. Activists have complained the new provisions have led to a new wave of politically-motivated arrests that have netted dozens of journalists and prominent opposition politicians.
7 thoughts on “The Meles regime arrests 120 critics under terror law”
thank you elias for using the term weyane which perfectly fits thier evil characters than the so called self claimed titles where the crime minister zenawi wanted to be called the prime minister with out the contest of the Ethiopians.
Regardless, of the weyane/zenawi false claim and unfounded and preposterous claim, there are still so many Ethiopians who are willing to fight against the TPLF Tigrian ethno-apartheid rulers though weyane keep labling everyone as a terrorist while weyane is the terrorist group. It is a matter of time and surely the TPLF Tigrians and thier hodam non tirgrean collaborators would pay the price for the crime they have been committed, and of course every Ethiopians are waiting the right time to retaliate and reclaim this/her country. The Nazi gangs’ savage atrocity had never passed without punished; the German citizens paid unimaginable price for it and of course responsible individuals hunted and face justice.
It is just the matter of time for meles to follow the foot print of Qadaffi, Mubarik, Hasad, and more. I honestly don’t understand how dumbfounded melese and his associates can be to fight the war that they cannot win. at the end of the day, public will win and I am not sure if Ethiopian people are willing to forgive these people. my advice to the meles and his people is that, you have dig yourself far in to the point where no return, the security force you using today will be your worst enemy soon if not tomorrow simply because they came out of this very public you are robbing and persecuting not from your mother’s backyard as some of them may be. learn from history, the money you put away will come back to ethiopian people at the end of the day there will be no hiding place, those days are over.
Meles should arrest all criminals that are facilitating roberies in and
around Adaba town. These inviduals have criminal records as facilitators
for outlawed factions. Arrest
Abuna Shabu thief and colaborator of outlawed criminal elements.
Ibrahim Nure Gamada, former prisoner who played part in arm rebellion, currently facilitator of robberies.
Abu Haji Wabe, useless thug criminal down to his job, Crimal.
Mohamed seraj/ mohamed yassin Aliyi OLF recruiter, man who emptied Mosqui money, in theft. Residant of Adaba town Western Arsi.
These individuals have not learned from their past crimes, infacted emboldened by their successive roberries that has taken place in this
town.
They need to be monitored daily for these are dangerous group of people.
Speak to imams, respected elders, you will find out about these OLF thugs.
Woyane led by Meles is like Albanian mafia (Albanian organized crime) with Criminal activities of Arms trafficking, arson, Assault, counterfeiting, Drug trafficking, Extortion, Fraud, Human trafficking, illegal gambling, Kidnapping, Murder, prostitution, Racketeering and Theft.
Meles, since he was in dedebit he used to talk about Albania and its strugle.Even he was trying to write and teach his infidels(soldiers) about Albania. How could Ethiopia all time independent,a country of bravery and braves could learn a lesson from Albania.
Let me tell you one thing, Albania was colonized for 2000 years:
– By Roman empire till 7th century;
– By Bulgarians in 9th century then
– By turks from 1500 to 1914 for 500years
– By itally from 1939 till 1943
– By germany from 1943 till 1944 after this till 1970 dominated by Yugoslavia now it is still the poorest country because its corrupt govt and its mafia groups.
But now it seems the woyane is excelling the Albanian mafia(one of the most powerful ones among 7 identified mafias in the world).
I have been asking all Ethiopian Americance to stop supporting Obama for 2012 election. We should stay home or support Republicans knowing who they will support than the person who preach about democracy and does the same or even worst.
I’m just imagining where this could perhaps go. If the families of these arrestees claim the right to visit the detainees and receive mal-treatment by officers and they stage a demonstration around the detaining center to see their families – asking for fair trial and condition, and if some members of the community who oppose the mass-detention join them and take the request to the mid-town, I’m sure the police will start firing on these citizens at will.
Let’s imagine further that, in order to protect themselves from violence and teach a lesson to the wrong doers (wrong doers in this case will now be the army that is gunning down the demonistrators), if the demonstrators rob an army warehouse and take it out to them, the government will then accuse them of robbing banks and burning food reserves. The international community will also condumn the unlawful group that took matters to their own hands. If they then stop the action due to the accusation and the condumnation, they will all be taken down and be in-trial for casualities. They’ll be named “unlawful violent groups”.
Now tell me,what’s a country with the majority of it’s population is tagged as “unlawful violators against government”? or simple question, who’s the “rebel” then??
Ethiopians are witnessing a crime that is committed by the s called TPLF lead government . Mark my word ,this government will vepour a way in the blinking of an eye.