ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Wednesday vowed to bring human rights violators to justice as part of the ongoing large-scale crackdown on human rights abuses.
Ahmed, in a press statement issued by his office late Wednesday, stressed that the ongoing reform in the east African country has an ultimate goal of protecting the rights of citizens, which also includes bringing criminals to justice.
The prime minister, who vowed to undertake major reform in his government with due emphasis given to the protection of prisoners as well as the general public, stressed that "the inhumane deeds of the past will not be repeated under the current administration."
Ahmed's comments came days after the arrest of two high-ranking intelligence officers over allegations of human rights abuses.
The Office of Ethiopia Federal Attorney General disclosed earlier this week that the arrested two senior operatives in the Ethiopia National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) have an alleged involvement in severe human rights abuses over the past years.
Last month, the east African country arrested more than 60 senior military and intelligence figures over allegations of human rights abuses and large-scale corruption scandal.
Among those arrested include former ex-deputy spy chief Yared Zerihun, and ex-chief of the military-linked business conglomerate Metal Engineering Corporation (MeTEC) Kinfe Dagnew.
NISS has in recent years been accused of torturing and killing dissidents and rebels, while the arrest of senior intelligence chiefs as well as security personnel is said to be part of a crackdown by the Ethiopian government over an alleged mass corruption and human rights abuses.
Last month, Ethiopia also issued an arrest warrant for fugitive ex-spy chief, Getachew Assefa, over alleged human rights abuses. Assefa had served as chief of the Ethiopia National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) until June 2018.
The ongoing crackdown is part of the promises the new administration of Ahmed made since he assumed office in April this year.
