Travel Restrictions on Diplomats Lifted
PRESS RELEASE
The Government of Ethiopia announced today (November 8, 2016) that it has lifted the state of emergency directive which requested that diplomats alert the control post if they planned to travel beyond a 40km (25 mile) radius of Addis Ababa.
Siraj Fegessa, Defence Minister and Secretariat of the Command Post, which oversees the implementation of the state of emergency, said the decision to change the advice was ascribed to the relative peace and security currently evident in the country.
The government has also revised the directive which allowed law enforcement bodies to conduct searches without a court warrant. The newly revised decree states that any law enforcement body is obliged to show his/her ID card and state the reason for the investigation while undertaking the search.
The law enforcement organ is also required to let people who are under investigation follow the investigation process, with local police and residents as observers. The law enforcement organ has the responsibility to keep confidential the information it obtained before and after the search, the Defence Minister said.
Ethiopia declared a six-month nationwide state of emergency in early October following the unrest that occurred in some areas.
Mr Fegessa said the situation nationwide is now much more stable. The advice had been imposed for the safety of diplomats and it was being lifted because it is now much calmer.
The state of emergency was declared following a thorough discussion by the Council of Ministers on the loss of lives and property damage which occurred.
Travel for diplomats was not banned as some news agencies have claimed. Diplomats were advised to let the authorities know if they were travelling more than 40km outside Addis. This was for their benefit.
—ENDS—
For further information contact the Press Office 0107 838 3880/3; email: press@ethioembassy.org.uk
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