The seven imprisoned OLF leaders (Photo: Social Media)Addis Abeba – Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called for the immediate release of seven Oromo opposition figures, which it says have been arbitrarily detained by Ethiopian authorities for nearly three years solely due to their political involvement. The detainees, senior members of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), a previously banned political opposition group advocating for Oromo self-determination, have been held by Oromia police since 2020 and 2021, despite multiple court orders ordering their release. Laetitia Bader, Deputy Africa Director at HRW, criticized the Ethiopian law enforcement agencies for abusing the justice system through the unjust and prolonged detention of these Oromo opposition politicians. In April 2023, the Oromia police authorities transferred seven detainees from a Burayu police station and withheld information regarding their whereabouts. In view of these distressing findings, HRW has called for the immediate release of the seven detained opposition figures.

Source: Ethiopian News July 24, 2023 10:18 UTC