Ethiopian authorities have arrested more than 1,500 people since declaring a state of emergency less than two weeks ago, according to a statement published by state-controlled news agency Fana. The command post, a body set up by authorities to oversee the state of emergency, said 1,120 people had been arrested in the towns of Shashemene and West Arsi – south of the capital, Addis Ababa – for “violence and property damage”. Another 302 people were arrested in the western town of Guji and 110 in the area of Kelem Wolega. According to the statement on Fana’s website, authorities seized hundreds of weapons. The six-month state of emergency comes with a raft of stringent rules.

Source: Ethiopian News October 20, 2016 23:32 UTC