[JURIST] New York-based monitoring group Human Rights Watch [advocacy website] reported Wednesday that thousands of people have been arrested [press release] and some 36 killed across Ethiopia in skirmishes with police during election-related protests. HRW said that the deaths occured when "security forces responded to incidents of rock-throwing and looting by opening fire indiscriminately on large crowds of people". The group also claims supporters of opposition leaders in at least nine cities have been arrested. AP has more. The unrest follows growing reports of fraud [JURIST report] in the May 15 general elections. Ethiopian police have confirmed the arrests [AFP report], but government sources many detainees have already been released.