[2] The first violent incident was flashed on 7 June 2005 at 11:20 when the police force had arrested one 4th year student Mesafint Endalew, at the main campus.

The leak made by Ethiopian judge Wolde-Michael Meshesha found that the government had concealed the true extent of deaths at the hands of the police.

[7][8] But, the Independent Inquiry's members added, Wolde-Michael's trip to Europe and reporting of information out of context was "dishonest" politics as well as insensitive to the process of developing Ethiopia's young democracy.

[7] Despite the post-election complications, the Carter Center, US Government and British MPs continued to praise the democratic process in Ethiopia, but have each demanded the release of CUD leaders.

[11] Until June 2007, many of the main opposition party's (CUD) leaders were detained for an alleged attempt to overthrow the government and initiating the post election violence.

All of these charges are denied by CUD leadership both in Ethiopia and internationally, and the European Union advocated for the political prisoners to be released after a speedy trial.

Some of these elected CUD officials endured very harsh conditions inside Ethiopia's poorly maintained prisons and they are at risk of various medical complications.