Stavros Lambrinidis
ESAT News (April 11, 2017)
The European Union expressed its concerns over the large number of persons being detained or prosecuted following the anti-government protest last year which is continuing under the state of emergency.
The statement came as the European Union Special Representative for Human Rights, Stavros Lambrinidis, paid a three-day official visit to Ethiopia last week.
The Special Representative noted that the 2015 general elections had resulted in a House of Representatives without any voices of the political opposition.
Lambrinidis encouraged a genuine and inclusive political process to find a constructive way forward and to ensure greater representation of different political parties and views ahead of the 2018 and 2020 elections, according to an EU press release.
He said the release of opposition leaders and others, and the further easing of restrictions and prompt lifting of the State of Emergency, would send an important signal to that direction.