A prominent Ethiopian opposition politician charged last year with terrorism faces "permanent health problems" after going on hunger strike for more than a week, his lawyer told AFP Friday. Jawar and Bekele Gerba, another Oromo opposition leader, have been on hunger strike for eight days, while the other defendants "are on their sixth day now", lawyer Tuli Bayyisa said. Their demands include improved treatment for visiting family and supporters and, more broadly, an end to legal and other harassment of Oromo opposition politicians, Tuli said. The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, a government-affiliated but independent body, on Friday said it had visited the defendants in Addis Ababa and confirmed they were on hunger strike. But he has since accused Abiy of being a poor advocate of ethnic Oromos' interests and behaving like a dictator.

Source: Ethiopian News February 05, 2021 18:00 UTC