Last Monday, popular Ethiopian singer Hachalu Hundessa was shot dead, sparking a week of protests and outrage throughout the country. In the past week, at least 239 people have been killed and 3,500 arrested. In the Oromia region, the death toll includes nine police officers and five militia members, alongside 215 civilians. Officials also stated that in the capital, Addis Ababa, eight civilians were killed amid the protests.
Hachalu Hundessa had been a strong figure in anti-government protests that led to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed taking power in 2018. The Ethiopian military was deployed to quell the outrage that followed Hachalu’s death over the past week. The 3,500 arrests include a well-known activist Jawar Mohammed and more than 30 of his supporters, however, it is unclear what charges they will face The Oromo make up Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group, however, they have never held the country’s top post until Abiy.
Read More: Ethiopia’s week of unrest sees 239 dead, 3,500 arrested