Ethiopia: EU releases final report on 2005 elections

The European Union has issued its final report on last May's elections in Ethiopia. According to the report, the 2005 parliamentary elections were the most competitive elections Ethiopia had experienced, with an unprecedented high voter turnout. However, it said, while the pre-election period saw largely orderly manner, the counting and aggregation process were marred by irregular practices, confusion and lack of transparency. The report noted that subsequent complaints and appeals mechanisms did not provide an effective remedy. The human rights situation rapidly deteriorated in the post-election day period when dozens of citizens were killed by the police and thousands were arrested, it said.