Lemma Megersa pardoned over 2000 prisoners in Oromo region of Ethiopia

Lemma Megersa implementing decision to release political prisoners

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

borkena
January 27,2018

Well over 2000 prisoners are rreleased from across Oromo region of Ethiopia after the region’s popular president,Lemma Megersa, pardoned them.

Addisu Arega, communication head of Oromo regional state, has confirmed the news in his social media update, yesterday.

Of the pardoned prisoners, 1568 were convicted prisoners, 557 were under investigation and the cases of 250 of them was in court, according to Fana Broadcasting Corporation,government affiliated media outlet, report.

The prisoners were arrested in connection with unrest in the region over the last two years.

Pardoned prisoners will have to undergo an orientation session which the party calls “Tehadiso”

The decision by Oromo regional state president to pardon the prisoners is related to the ruling coalition, Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), pledge to release “political prisoners” which was announced the the four parties completed over two weeks of internal party evaluation.

Last week, the Federal government released Oromo Federalist Congress Chairman Merera Gudina,who was arrested in October 2016 up on returning to Ethiopia from a working trip to Europe,and 114 other prisoners.

Prominent opposition figures are still behind bars after the ruling party disclosed that it will release politicians in the interest of broadening “democratic space” in the country.

Join the conversation. Like borkena on Facebook and get Ethiopian News updates regularly. As well, you may get Ethiopia News by following us on twitter @zborkena

The post Lemma Megersa pardoned over 2000 prisoners in Oromo region of Ethiopia appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.