Sunday May 27, 2018
The government of Ethiopia on Saturday pardoned 576 inmates including prominent opposition leader Andargachew Tsige.Andargachew Tsige was sentenced to death in absentia in 2009 over his role in the opposition group Ginbot 7, leading to his arrest in Yemen and extradition to Ethiopia five years later.
Attorney General Berhanu Tsegaye on Saturday said Tsige has been pardoned “under special circumstances” along with 575 other inmates.
Andargachew Tsige with British citizenship served as secretary-general of the anti-government group, Ginbot 7 -which has been branded as a terrorist organization by the government in Addis Ababa.
The decisions were made with the “intention of widening political space,” the Attorney General told reporters.
Thousands of prisoners, including several senior opposition leaders, have been freed since January having been slapped with a variety of charges such as terrorism or incitement to topple the government.
Among the pardoned are those whose charges brought against them and individuals granted amnesty in a special circumstance by the board of pardon and approved by the president.
The decision was made as the individuals have demonstrated remorse, the Attorney General said, adding it is also aimed at broadening the political space.
Among those who were pardoned on Saturday, 18 were female.
Ginbot 7 is among five groups Addis Ababa has blacklisted under anti-terror legislation, alongside the secessionist groups Oromo Liberation Front and the Ogaden National Liberation Front, as well as al Qaeda and Somalia’s al Shabaab.