By Aaron MaashoADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - An Ethiopian opposition leader from a region hit by deadly anti-government protests last year pleaded not guilty in court on Friday, after prosecutors brought charges against him for inciting unrest. Merera Gudina, leader of the Oromo Federalist Congress from the Oromiya region which was the center of protests against land grabs, was arrested in November after returning from meeting members of the European Parliament in Brussels. "Instead of taking actions that would demonstrate genuine resolve to address long-term grievances, the government again used politically motivated charges to further crack down on opposition parties, reinforcing a message that it will not tolerate peaceful dissent," the U.S.-based watchdog said. More than 500 people were killed in protests in the Oromiya region that stretched for months until the government declared a six-month state of emergency in October. Opposition parties failed to secure a single seat in parliament in the last elections in 2015.

Source: Ethiopian News March 03, 2017 16:18 UTC