Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein
ESAT News (June 7, 2017)
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said attack on dissenters and social media shutdowns by the Ethiopian regime is a “considerable concern.”
“The recent sentencing of opposition leaders, apparently for expressing dissenting views, is of considerable concern to me, as are the periodic shutdowns of social media,” Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said addressing the 35th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday.
The High Commissioner for Human Rights was in Ethiopia last month and held talks with government officials demanding access to an independent investigation into the killing of hundreds of anti-government protesters in 2015 and 2016.
“Although access has not yet been granted to my staff to assess the recent events in Oromia and Amhara regions, I am hopeful this will take place, and I have pledged to lead a follow-up mission to Ethiopia next year,” he said.
The Ethiopian regime rejected repeated demands by the High Commissioner and other right watchdogs for an independent investigation into the brutal killings of hundreds of protesters by security forces.