Ethiopia bans protests for six months

Ethiopia’s state of emergency imposed on Friday includes a ban on protests and publications that incite violence, Defence Minister Siraj Fegessa said.

The move was made a day after Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn announced his surprise resignation in a televised speech on Thursday, saying he wanted to smooth the way for further reforms.



Meanwhile, the U.S. embassy in Ethiopia said it disagreed with the government’s decision to impose a state of emergency to calm potential unrest the day after the prime minister’s surprise resignation.

“We strongly disagree with the Ethiopian government’s decision to impose a state of emergency that includes restrictions on fundamental rights such as assembly and expression,” the statement said.

“We recognize and share concerns expressed by the government about incidents of violence and loss of life, but firmly believe that the answer is greater freedom, not less,” it said.