Police officer arrested over teenagers' murder

The Ethiopian Federal Police have arrested a fellow officer for the murder of four teenagers in the north of the country in February, the police department said on Friday. The federal police had launched a probe into the incident following allegations by Human Rights Watch (HRW) that the killings in the town of Gondar were extrajudicial executions. According to HRW, the police officer had ordered the youths, who were outside a friend's house, to walk toward a nearby river and kneel down. He then shot them all in the head. The police investigation determined that the officer who killed the youths was off-duty. Federal police spokesman Demsach Hailu said that no government official had given an order to kill the teenagers, who were between 17 and 19 years of age. "The investigation has been concluded," he said. "These deaths have no relationship with any governmental issue, [and] they are not related to the elections. It is a personal affair. The policeman is now in custody." The international community and human rights groups have criticised the Ethiopian government in recent months, particularly because of its response to opposition protests following last May's disputed general elections, in which the party of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi retained power. At least 84 people died and thousands were arrested during demonstrations in June and November 2005. Although most of those arrested have been released, dozens still face charges related to the unrest.