Police investigating human rights organisation

The Federal Police Commission has said it is investigating certain civic organisations and political parties for their role in the riots in Addis Ababa last week. A statement by the crime prevention and control department said on 22 April that the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (Ehrco), the All Amhara People’s Organisation (AAPO), and the Ethiopian Democratic Party (EDP) “had a clear role in the violence”, government-run Ethiopian radio said on 23 April. The police said that members of Ehrco, including its founder-leader, Professor Mesfin Woldemariam, had urged students to adopt “confrontational positions” and had instigated students. A statement said there was “concrete evidence” that AAPO and EDP had been “organising hooligans”, who looted businesses and destroyed private and government property, Ethiopian radio said. Police reportedly detained many opposition activists after the riots last Wednesday. The federal police said 31 people died in the riots last week. Hospital sources said records showed that more than 38 people died, news agencies said. The federal police said 98 policemen also sustained “serious and minor injuries” in the disturbances, Ethiopian Tigray radio said on 23 April.