Ethiopia releases hundreds of prisoners including blogger and opposition figure
Addis Ababa — Ethiopia’s attorney-general ordered the release of hundreds of prisoners on Thursday, state media reported, including journalist and blogger Eskinder Nega and opposition leader Andualem Arage, whose jailings drew international condemnation. The pair are the latest high-profile detainees to be freed since Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn announced in January that Ethiopia would allow an unspecified number of detained "politicians" to leave jail. "The federal attorney-general today pardoned a total of 746 suspects and prisoners, including Eskindr (sic) Naga and Andualem Arage," state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate said. "About 417 of the pardoned inmates are federal prisoners jailed on terrorism, inciting violence, religious extremism and other related convictions," Fana added. The prisoners will be released after undergoing "rehabilitation training" and receiving approval from Ethiopia’s president, the broadcaster reported. Eskinder had been jailed for 18 yea...
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