Ethiopians fired over prison abuses

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Ethiopia’s government has fired five prison officials as it confronts allegations of torture and other abuses of inmates. Among those fired is the federal prison chief who until recently defended the treatment of inmates as “fair.”

The firings came ahead of a new Human Rights Watch report released Thursday that documents widespread arbitrary detention, torture, rape and humiliation over several years in Ethiopia’s eastern Somali region. It urges new Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to investigate the “horrific” situation.

Abiy has admitted that security forces have tortured people but has yet to “tackle Ethiopia’s culture of impunity and ensure accountability,” said Felix Horne, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch.

Ethiopian government officials were not immediately available for comment. State television in recent days has broadcast interviews with inmates who alleged rights violations against them.

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