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Ethiopia releases 31 more opposition detainees
ADDIS ABABA - Ethiopia freed 31 opposition members on Saturday who had been held without charge since a disputed 2005 election led to violent street protests, a senior official said. The Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) members were arrested after they cried foul over some 2005 election results, sparking protests in which 200 people were killed, 800 wounded and 30,000 arrested, according to a parliamentary inquiry.They admitted their guilt in a letter, Special Adviser to Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, Bereket Simon, told Reuters. That is the basis for their pardon. But global anti-poverty campaigner ActionAid said at least two activists, including one of its own staff, remained in prison facing charges of outrage against the constitution. They were not released, the aid agency said, because they refused to sign a formal apology. They ... continue to defend their case. They declined to join the others in an appeal for a pardon, ActionAid spokesman Julian Filochowski said in a statement, adding that they were prisoners of conscience. It was unclear how many other prisoners were still being held in relation to the riots. Posted by: Steve White 2007-08-19 |
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