Ethiopia 'Releases 2,000 Detainees'

Ethiopia's security forces have freed about 2,000 people detained under a state of emergency on suspicion of being involved in the recent violence which swept through parts of the country, the state-linked Fana Broadcasting Corporate has reported.

The group had been released after "receiving education and counselling service," it quoted Defence Minister Siraj Fegessa as saying.

The minister did not say how many people are still in detention.

On 20 October, the BBC reported that more than 2,600 people had been arrested under the state of emergency, which was imposed on 9 October after a wave of anti-government protests.


Opposition groups have been demanding greater political freedom in a country ruled by the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front since 1991.

More than 1,500 weapons had also been recovered by the security forces.