23 August, 2012

HRW urges Ethiopian government to release Muslim protesters

HRW urges Ethiopian government to release Muslim protesters -
By Feven Getachew 
ssinformer.com

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia -Human Rights Watch said that the Ethiopian government should release Muslim protesters that were arrested during a series of protests occurred in Mosques. The Ethiopian Federal Police Commission last month arrested the leaders of the “Muslim Solution Finding Committee” over what it allegedly accusing them of terrorist acts and creating violence.
The rights group said the country “should immediately release 17 prominent Muslim leaders arrested as part of a brutal crackdown on peaceful Muslim protesters in Addis Ababa.” Ben Rawlence, senior Africa researcher at the Human Rights Watch said that “the Ethiopian government should address the grievances of its Muslim community through dialogue, not through violence and the security forces should be upholding the law, not breaking it.”

Since July 13, Ethiopian police and security forces have harassed, assaulted, and arbitrarily arrested hundreds of Muslims who were protesting against government interference in religious affairs, at Addis Ababa Awalia and Anwar mosques, HRW said. The dispute stems from what the “Muslim Solution Finding Committee” accuses government of interference in the religious affairs of the Muslim community and pushing the ideology of al-Ahbash – a Sunni movement founded in Lebanon during the 20th century that largely condemns Salafism and encourages religious pluralism.

Ethiopian authorities said more than 70 people were arrested in the operation, including the members of the mosque’s central organizing committee. A number of protesters who have been released told Human Rights Watch that they were “mistreated” while in custody. Part of the Muslim community said that they have no hatred towards Christians and are not on the verge of an Islamic backlash.

http://www.ssinformer.com/News/Africa/EasternAfrica/ethiopiannews/eth_polAugust202012002.aspx


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