Ethiopia: Over 600 detainees released, including opposition figures

Ethiopia released more than 600 detainees on September 10, following pardons and conditional dismissals of charges, according to the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission. Among those released are opposition MP Christian Tadele and Chane Kebede, former president of the Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice.

The Commission clarified that the measures differentiate between individuals who had already been convicted and those whose cases were still pending. The former benefited from legal clemency provisions, while some charges against the latter were dropped under certain conditions. The political and civil rights that had been restricted due to the judicial proceedings have also been restored.

The EHRC stated that it had worked for five months on the requests of detainees charged with offenses such as attempting to overthrow the constitutional order, terrorism, or other serious crimes. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed accepted the request submitted by the Commission and instructed the relevant institutions to implement the process in accordance with the law.

The releases pertain to detainees under federal jurisdiction, particularly from the Amhara and Oromia regions. Regional authorities are conducting their own separate procedures. The media outlet The Reporter specifically cites Christian Tadele and Chane Kebede among the released individuals.

This measure comes as Ethiopian authorities seek to translate some recommendations from the national dialogue into concrete actions. In his Ethiopian New Year message, Abiy Ahmed presented the releases as a step aimed at promoting the peaceful resolution of political disputes.

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission indicated that it would continue to monitor the process and called on local administrations, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders to support the reintegration of the released individuals.