The detained, who had been charged with disturbing the peace and terrorism, were released to create "political space," the government said. The Ethiopian government has released 1,500 political prisoners held in the eastern Somali region in the midst of a newly declared state of emergency and the recent resignation of Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn. "On Wednesday, over 1,500 prisoners were released following a pardon by President Abdi Mohammed Omer," says the regional president’s office on Facebook. Omer is president of the Somali region of Ethiopia and a member of the ruling People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (PRD). The government said the prisoners were set free to create "political space" in what is currently a tense environment.

Source: Ethiopian News February 22, 2018 23:03 UTC