The oldest non-state aligned human rights group, the Ethiopia Human Rights Council (EHRCO) disclosed on Thursday a court in Ethiopia’s Oromia region has ordered four EHRCO staff to be released on bail.
In a press statement, EHRCO said the Sebeta district court has ordered three EHRCO investigators to be released on 4,000 birr bail (75 U.S. dollars) bail. The court ordered EHRCO driver to be released on 3,000 birr (56 U.S. dollars) bail money.
The EHRCO statement further said its currently working to have police release the four EHRCO detained staff.
THE four EHRCO staff were detained a week ago while observing demolishing activities around Addis Ababa. The EHRCO staff went to the site of house demolitions after receiving complaints from citizens.
EHRCO has previously said its facing various other threats and pressures by government security forces.
Authorities in Addis Ababa and the surrounding Oromia region are currently undertaking large scale house demolition of mainly low income residents accusing them of being “squatters”. Residents in turn accuse authorities of conducing sudden demolitions and making them effectively homeless.
