100 anti-Saudi Arabia protesters arrested in Ethiopia
Three Ethiopians were killed by Saudi security officials.
More than 100 members of Ethiopia’s opposition Semayawi (Blue) party were on Friday arrested for staging a protest at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Addis Ababa.
Some were allegedly beaten by the Federal police during the protest.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the party members had matched to the embassy in their hundreds protesting the killing of three Ethiopians by the Saudi security agencies.
The Saudi authorities had said that there were more than 40,000 Ethiopian nationals in the country residing illegally in the country. This led to the Nov. 4 crackdown on them.
However, the Blue Party Chairman, Yilekal Getachew, who confirmed the incident to journalists, said he was also arrested but later released by the police.
Mr. Getachew said that the party was protesting the killing of the Ethiopians who had been molested by security agencies without adequate reason for doing so.
But the Ethiopian police authorities said the party was not given formal permission to stage any rally or protest.
Policemen had gathered with light riffles and batons as they refused the protesters access into the embassy premises situated on Bole Road, Addis Ababa.
The police, however, promised to provide details of the situation to journalists later.
Saudi security agencies had on November 4 launched a crackdown on foreign nationals, who did not have official permit to stay in Saudi Arabia.
This followed the expiration of the deadline given to them to regularise their residential permit.
The Ethiopian foreign affairs ministry had, however, said a government delegation had been sent to Saudi Arabia to speed up the repatriation of Ethiopians.
More than 100 members of Ethiopia’s opposition Semayawi (Blue) party were on Friday arrested for staging a protest at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Addis Ababa.
Some were allegedly beaten by the Federal police during the protest.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the party members had matched to the embassy in their hundreds protesting the killing of three Ethiopians by the Saudi security agencies.
The Saudi authorities had said that there were more than 40,000 Ethiopian nationals in the country residing illegally in the country. This led to the Nov. 4 crackdown on them.
However, the Blue Party Chairman, Yilekal Getachew, who confirmed the incident to journalists, said he was also arrested but later released by the police.
Mr. Getachew said that the party was protesting the killing of the Ethiopians who had been molested by security agencies without adequate reason for doing so.
But the Ethiopian police authorities said the party was not given formal permission to stage any rally or protest.
Policemen had gathered with light riffles and batons as they refused the protesters access into the embassy premises situated on Bole Road, Addis Ababa.
The police, however, promised to provide details of the situation to journalists later.
Saudi security agencies had on November 4 launched a crackdown on foreign nationals, who did not have official permit to stay in Saudi Arabia.
This followed the expiration of the deadline given to them to regularise their residential permit.
The Ethiopian foreign affairs ministry had, however, said a government delegation had been sent to Saudi Arabia to speed up the repatriation of Ethiopians.
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