"Maybe this could be the year when freedom of expression and association will be respected... Maybe this could be the year when Ethiopians will no more be imprisoned for their political convictions." Ethiopian journalist and former prisoner of conscience, Eskinder Nega, in a speech on press freedom on the eve of the new Ethiopian calendar year in September 2011. Days later he was arrested and charged with terrorism offences and treason.
The popular movements across North Africa resonated with people in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in countries with repressive governments. Trade unionists, students and opposition politicians were inspired to organize demonstrations. People took to the streets because of their political aspirations, the quest for more freedom, and a deep frustration with a life in poverty. They protested against their desperate social and economic situation and the rise in living costs.
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