Over 740 prisoners have been pardoned by Ethiopian authorities as part of a political reform move to foster national unity. In January 2017, the federal government released over 500 detainees including leading opposition chief Merera Gudina of the Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC). Nega whiles in prison was named the winner of a top press freedom award when the International Press Institute (IPI) in April 2017 named him as the winner of the ‘World Press Freedom Hero’ award. He became the IPI’s 69th World Press Freedom Hero. In 2014, the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) honoured Nega with its Golden Pen of Freedom Award.

Source: Ethiopian News February 08, 2018 14:03 UTC