Ethiopia: 2,000 charged over violence sparked by pop star’s death

About 2,000 people are facing charges over violence that erupted in Ethiopia after the June killing of an iconic pop star from the Oromo ethnic group. Attorney General Gideon Timothewos made the announcement on Thursday, denying investigations were politically motivated. “The current figure we have is about 2,000 suspects are being charged for their participation in the violence that has taken place in Oromia regional state,” he said during a news conference. The charges are linked to days of inter-ethnic attacks and deadly violence triggered by the killing on June 29 of Hachalu Hundessa, an iconic Oromo singer and prominent voice in anti-government protests that led to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed coming to power in 2018. More than 9,000 people, including journalists and prominent opposition politicians, were caught up in subsequent mass arrests that stoked criticism towards the prime minister. Among the most high-profile opposition politicians set to stand trial is Jawar Mohammed, a former media mogul-turned-politician who was once considered an Abiy ally. style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; top: 0; bottom: 0; right: 0; left: 0;">