ADDIS-ABABA (Halbeeg News) – The former leader of Ethiopia’s Somali regional state, Mohamud Abdi Omar has been arrested by Ethiopian police and is set to be charged in court for crimes against humanity.
Mr. Omar was forced to resign early this month and replaced by his finance minister Mr. Ahmed Abdi Mohammed who was later removed from the office.
Ethiopia TV (ETV) reported that the office of the Ethiopian Attorney General issued an arrested warrant against the former leader.
According to the TV, the office of the Attorney General accused Mr. Omar of committing gross human rights violations as well as instigating ethnic and religious violence.
The police officials also have arrested several other individuals who worked with Mr. Omar during his tenure of region’s leadership.
This month, Human Rights Watch urged the federal government of Ethiopia to probe Mr. Omar and senior state officials for war crimes and gross human rights abuses.
The agency called on the Ethiopian government to institute an independent probe into the role of Mr. Omar and head of the notorious paramilitary unit, Liyu Police Abdirahman Burale for serious human rights violations including operating the infamous Jail Ogaden which Mr. Omar used to silence dissent during his eight-year tenure.
“To break with the past, Ethiopia’s government needs to ensure justice for more than a decade of horrific abuses in the Somali region,” said Maria Burnett, East, and Horn of Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s reform agenda should include that those responsible for serious human rights violations, however powerful, no longer avoid justice.”
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