Ethiopia: Out of prison, Muslim activist demand reforms

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA - JUNE 01: Ustaz Abubakar Ahmed, a well know Ethiopian Islamic activist and preacher holds iftar (fast-breaking) dinner, during the holy Islamic month of Ramadan on June 01, 2018 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.Moving clouds, wet winds, and the sound of the rain had darkened the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.It was 6 o’clock.The road leading to the Betel neighborhood where Abubakr Ahmed, a high-profile Muslim rights activist preacher lives, looks like a scene of staged confusion.Street lights go and off seemingly at random. Anxious drivers stuck in a long traffic jam honk their horns in vain.Many shopkeepers begin closing their shops. Street vendors are also collecting their wares. Pedestrians from all walks of life rush to get home. The street is filled with loud confused noises of human beings, vehicles, and the murmuring sky.“It’s business as usual,” said a visibly fatigued taxi driver. “It’s also Ramadan, and the day’s iftar time is approaching,” he added, referring to the meal Muslims use to break their fast at sundown.Ahmed, 44, had arrived earlier at his bright home to break the fast and perform night prayers with his family and friends.Dates, soup, milk, fruits, and the tantalizing aroma of mouthwatering meat dishes were meticulously organized to give color and order to the iftar table.However, the past interfered in the calm and bright Ramadan evening of Ahmed and his colleagues.(Footage by Mohammed Abdu Abdulbaqi/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)