Ethiopian authorities have dropped charges against a leading opposition leader and hundreds of others jailed for involvement in unrest in the country in 2015 and 2016, Ethiopian Attorney General Getachew Ambaye said on Monday (January 15th).
Hundreds have been killed in violence in the Horn of Africa nation since protests broke out in the central province of Oromia over allegations of land grabbing, Reuters said.
Jitachu told reporters on Monday that 528 people had so far been selected to be pardoned by Merira Godina, leader of the opposition Uromo Congress party, who was arrested in late 2015.
He added:
All 528 people will be released within two months.
According to an investigation commissioned by parliament, nearly 700 people were killed in a wave of unrest during months of protests in 2015 and 2016, and Jitachu said another number of prisoners would be pardoned later.
