ADDIS ABABA (ST) — A newly formed coalition of Ethiopian opposition groups is accusing the ruling Tigrean People’s Liberation Front (Woyanne) regime in Ethiopia of launching a new wave of arrests against opposition members, ahead of the approaching national election.
The alliance, Forum for Democratic Dialogue in Ethiopia (FDDE), said that government cadres have intensified a new wave of arrests against opposition members on trumped-up charges to cripple them from running in Next Year’s election.
“As of today our party has received a list of 250 opposition members jailed in Oromyia region and another 230 in the Amhara region” Gebru Asrat, FDDE chairman told Sudan tribune.
Melesn Zenawi’s former close ally, Gebru, said that the arrests were worsening after opposition groups and the ruling EPRDF party began talks on code of conduct.
Recently, FDDE walked-out of discussions on code of conduct set by the Ethiopian government, demanding other electoral rules to be included on the talks, so the election is held in fair and free way, as government pledged.
Issues of freedom to campaigning, intervention of security forces to stop, freedom of expression and movement were among others the opposition group demanded to be included for discussion alongside the talks on code of conduct.
According to the opposition official, Oromya and Amhara are the two regions arresting is being most intensified but he says he believes that same harassment is being underway in other regions too and the above figure of arrests could rise anytime soo
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