News item of ethnic profiling complete misrepresentation of event: Emergency Fact Check

Addis Ababa, November 13, 2020 (FBC) -The Ethiopia State of Emergency Fact Check has cautioned international organizations and media to refrain from propagating divisive and uncorroborated narratives.

The warning comes following an international news item alleging police visited an office of the WFP, ethnically profiling staff members in the Amhara region.

In a statement issued this afternoon, the State of Emergency Fact Check said the news item completely misrepresented the event.

“State of Emergency Taskforce have received credible and specific intelligence on suspects that are TPLF operatives embedded and active within various local and international organizations with in the country,” it said.

“It has thus acted to follow up with its investigation and law enforcement work, by apprehending suspected individuals. The Amhara regional police other concerned stakeholders received list of these suspects, and not general ethnic profiling of citizens, as alleged.”

“Per information received from the Amhara regional state, the police presented the list of suspected individuals and inquired on their presence within the WFP office in the region, rather than purported request of staff based ethnicity,” it added.