Meles Zenawi, the Ethiopian prime minister, presides over the country with the second-largest population in Africa.
Zenawi has been the prime minister of Ethiopia since 1991 but he has most recently been in the headlines for his role in the country's upcoming elections.
Crtitics claim it is impossible for the opposition to win Sunday's vote because of legal restrictions imposed by the current administration.
In an interview with Al Jazeera's Andrew Simmons, Zenawi spoke about his country's often poor human rights record.
[20, May, 2010]