Ethiopian PM: Around 20,000 detained under state of emergency Ethiopian prime minister Hailemariam Dessalegn says that the number of detainees arrested since Ethiopia declared a state of emergency in early October amid violent protests "does not exceed 22, 000" but includes "high level officials". Ethiopia declared a six-month state of emergency on October 9 as it pursued a brutal crackdown on anti-government protesters that has left hundreds of people dead, according to rights groups. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES