of terrorist acts punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Political opposition leaders Gurmesa Ayano and Beqele Gerba, Deputy Chief of the OFC, were among 22 defendants who faced an unfair trial on charges brought under the ATP for their role in organizing the November 2015 Oromia protest. On 11 May, when they were due in court, the authorities refused to take them there because they were wearing black suits in mourning for people killed during the protests. For their next court appearance on 3 June, prison officials brought the defendants to court in their underpants. The defendants complained in court that they had been beaten in detention and that prison officials had taken away their clothes. The court did not order an investigation into their allegations of torture and other ill-treatment. 4 Desta Dinka, Youth Coordinator for the OFC, was held in pre-trial detention from 23 December 2015 until May, before he was charged under the ATP. The court ordered his detention pending trial. The law only allows up to four months of pre-trial detention. Berhanu Tekleyared, Eyerusalem Tesfaw and Fikremariam Asmamaw were denied their right to present a defence during their trial on terrorism-related charges. Despite this, on 20 July they were found guilty. IMPUNITY The government rejected calls by the UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights for independent and impartial investigations of human rights violations committed in the context of protests in various regional states. those killed arrived to mourn and bury the dead, the Liyu police threatened to kill them. HOUSING RIGHTS – FORCED EVICTIONS On 30 June, the government forcibly evicted at least 3,000 residents deemed to be “squatters” in Lafto Sub-City, Addis Ababa. The residents were apparently offered no prior consultation or alternative housing and were given only three days’ notice of eviction. While the residents were meeting the local administration to complain, the government taskforce started to demolish their houses. The situation turned violent, resulting in the death of the District Administrator and two police officers. The police arrested all the male residents and completed the demolition in subsequent days. ABDUCTION OF CHILDREN The authorities failed to protect adequately people in Gambella Regional State from repeated attacks by armed members of Murle ethnic group based in neighbouring South Sudan, during which hundreds of children were abducted. In February and March, Murle fighters abducted a total of 26 Anuwa children. In one incident on the night of 15 April, they attacked 13 Nuer villages in Jikaw and Lare districts in Gambella, killing 208 people and abducting 159 children. Ethiopian forces had rescued 91 abducted children by June. 1. Ethiopia: Draconian measures will escalate the deepening crisis (News story, 18 October) 2. Ethiopia: After a year of protests, time to address grave human rights concerns (News story, 9 November) 3. Ethiopia: End use of counter-terrorism law to persecute dissenters and opposition members (News story, 2 June) 4. Ethiopia: Detainees beaten and forced to appear before court inadequately dressed (News story, 3 June) EXTRAJUDICIAL EXECUTIONS The Liyu police, a special force in Somali Regional State in eastern Ethiopia, extrajudicially executed 21 people in Jamaa Dhuubed on 5 June. Fourteen were shot in the village’s mosque; seven were shot elsewhere in the village. When relatives of Amnesty International Report 2016/17 FIJI Republic of Fiji Head of state: Jioji Konousi Konrote Head of government: Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama 157