After the main Christian Orthodox Church filed a petition, a court in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, issued an injunction against breakaway clergy, prohibiting them from entering churches.
More than 20 bishops appointed by the splinter clergy, the federal police, and local police in the Oromia region, where clashes have been reported, are also subject to restrictions.
Meanwhile, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC), a government-affiliated rights watchdog, accused security forces of using excessive force against followers of the main Church.
The commission announced on Friday that eight people were killed in Shashemene, Oromia, but warned that the number could rise as investigations continue.
