Ethiopia: Opposition figure under house arrest, electoral board demands his release

The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia has condemned the house arrest of chairman of the opposition Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), Dawud Ibsa.

According to the board, Dawud has been under house arrest since May 2021.

The Board led by Bertukan Midekssa wrote a letter to the Federal Police Commission and National Information and Security Services (NISS) confirming the house arrest.

The Board believes his house arrest is unacceptable under any legal ground.

According to local media reports, plain cloth government securities are guarding him in his house, and there is tight security detail to the community with him, said the Electoral Board.

The National Electoral Board has also deployed an investigative team to Benishangul Gumuz, South Ethiopia, South West Ethiopia, Sidama, Oromia and Addis Ababa to look into politicians that are reportedly arrested.

The military wing of his organization, which the government calls Shane, has been massacring ethnic Amhara civilians in the Oromo region.

He had been in exile until Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed allowed his organization to enter into Ethiopia on the condition of disarming his forces and engaging in peaceful political struggle.