Ethiopia: Security forces arrest 800 in southern Ethiopia August 23 /update 1

Event

On Thursday, August 23, Ethiopian security forces announced the arrest of approximately 800 people in the Oromia and Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples (SNNPR) regions. The detention of 300 people in the SNNPR and 500 others in Oromia were tied to violent civil unrest earlier this year that displaced around 800,000 people.

Context

Ethiopia has experienced widespread protests, particularly in Oromia and SNNPR, over the past two years. Anti-government protests that killed hundreds of people eventually led to the resignation of Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, who left office in April 2018. New PM Abiy Ahmed has enacted some reforms in response to the protests, though civil unrest has continued. More recently, violent protests in June and July displaced hundreds of thousands of residents and resulted in the deaths of at least 25 people.

Advice

Individuals present in Ethiopia are advised to monitor development to the situation and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities or their home government.