[JURIST] Four Ethiopians arrested during violent protests of the country's May elections [JURIST report] said Monday that they will begin a hunger strike to voice opposition to their detentions. Three of the detainees are Coalition for Unity and Democracy [party website] party officials, including the party's leader Hailu Shawel, and one is a human rights activist. The four claim their imprisonment is politically motivated rather than based on criminal acts and none of them has been formally charged, but Prime Minister Meles Zenawi [BBC profile] has said that they may be tried for treason. Diplomats have estimated that at least 3,000 protestors still remain in custody, while nearly 8,000 people have been released [JURIST report]. The hunger strikers said they would accept only liquids "indefinitely" to protest their imprisonment. BBC News has more.

Previously on JURIST's Paper Chase...

• EU official: Ethiopian elections resulted in human rights violations
• Election abuses lead to revote in 20 Ethiopian districts
• Ethiopia ending ban on election protests
• Ethiopia releases 2,600 election demonstrators from prison
• Western diplomats visit Ethiopian jails holding election protestors
• Ethiopian PM promises fair election investigation
• Ethiopia orders selected poll repeat due to fraud