Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Ethiopia: Repression Rising Ahead of May Elections


(Nairobi) - The Ethiopian government is waging a coordinated and sustained attack on political opponents, journalists, and rights activists ahead of the May 2010 elections, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. On May 23, 2010, Ethiopians will vote in the first parliamentary elections in Ethiopia since 2005, when the post-election period was marred by controversy and bloodshed.

The 59-page report, "‘One Hundred Ways of Putting Pressure': Violations of Freedom of Expression and Association in Ethiopia," documents the myriad ways in which the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) has systematically punished opposition supporters. Since the 2005 polls, the party has used its near-total control of local and district administrations to undermine opponents' livelihoods through withholding services such as agricultural inputs, micro-credit, and job opportunities. The report also documents how recently enacted laws severely restrict the activities of civil society and the media. Read Full Story≫

1 comment:

  1. It looks like things are going in the wrong direction. You shouldn’t be any political member to do anything. Government should keep the interest of human rights. Please let not abuse the word “Democracy” .

    ReplyDelete

Please select "Anonymous" below to post your comment