Officials in Ethiopia have confirmed that twenty-three people died when a fire broke out at Qilinto maximum security prison near Addis Abeba on Saturday, September 3rd, 2016 (Photo: Addis Fortune)
Updated: September 5th, 2016
Ethiopia’s government has confirmed that 23 people died when fire broke out in a prison where prominent anti-government protesters are reportedly being held.
A statement from the government affairs communications team says 21 inmates died due to stampede and suffocation while two others were killed as they tried to escape Qilinto prison, on the outskirts of the capital Addis Ababa on Saturday.
But some local media have disputed the account citing unnamed witnesses who claim to have seen prisoners being shot by prison wardens.
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Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff
Published: Saturday, September 3rd, 2016
New York (TADIAS) — Deadly fires are being reported in several high-security prisons across Ethiopia including in Addis Ababa and Debre Tabor towns. Ethiopia-based Addis Fortune reported: “The Qilinto maximum security prison [which holds high profile prisoners including opposition leader Bekele Gerba], located in southern Addis Abeba, caught fire this morning. Intensive gunfire ensued following the fire accident, creating a tense situation among local residents in the area.”
Other social media reports on Facebook and Twitter say an “unknown number of inmates are feared dead during a fire at Debre Tabor prison” in Gondar.
Debre Tabor prison house is on fire! #Ethiopia. (Picture via Twitter)
#Ethiopia : Debre Tabor prison fire ; unknown number of inmates feared dead https://t.co/KtDelFgd1Q #fire #EthiopiaProtests
— borkena (@zborkena) September 2, 2016
Ethiopia's government has now come out with a death toll following the prison firehttps://t.co/PSRvYOVucs
— BBC Africa (@BBCAfrica) September 5, 2016
BBC News – Ethiopia fire kills 23 at prison 'holding Oromo protesters' https://t.co/6NSbmMlFHR
— Eri gold (@miningineritrea) September 5, 2016
A prison set on fire claims > a dozen life in Ethiopia. A lead political opposition & prisoners of conscience #BekeleGerba in Qilinxo prison
— Leta T. Bayissa (@Letabayissa) September 3, 2016
Footage: Fire broke out at Debretabor Prison https://t.co/Qt1aRPtK9Z via @bbc @CNN @zehabesha #Ethiopia
— zehabesha (@zehabesha) September 1, 2016
Footage: Fire broke out at Debre Tabor Prison
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