US trip forbidden, Ethiopia opposition figure says

Ethiopia (AP) An Ethiopian opposition figure says his government won't allow him to travel to the United States.

Yilikal Getnet, the chairman of the opposition Blue Party, said Monday that security forces tore pages from his passport and refused to allow him to leave the country.

Getnet said he had been invited by the U.S State Department's Office of International Visitors to attend the Young African Leaders Program training course alongside nine others from the continent.

Getnet, who said the incident at the airport happened March 21, said the denial to leave the country shows the "totalitarian" nature of Ethiopia's government.

Calls to two government spokespeople for comment went unanswered.

Source: AP