More than 700 political prisoners in Ethiopia have been freed under an amnesty ordered by the country’s president, Mulatu Teshome, as part of a presidential pardon for Ethiopia’s New Year and Eid celebrations. Among the convicts pardoned are Muslims jailed under anti-terror laws for opposing what they called government interference in election of Islamic leaders. Their freedom came along with a general amnesty for political convicts ahead of Ethiopia’s New Year and Eid celebrations on Saturday, often the occasion for prisoner releases. Around 29 Muslim protest leaders and activists were arrested on July 2012 under the charge of wanting to turn Ethiopia into an Islamic state. Yusuf Getachew, editor-in-chief of the now defunct Islamic magazine Yemuslimoch Guday (Muslim Affairs), who had been imprisoned, was also freed. The move was praised by human rights advocates. “We are elated that Yusuf Getachew has finally been released from prison, but he should never have been jailed in the first place,” said Angela Quintal, CPJ’s Africa program coordinator. “We call on the Ethiopian authorities to immediately release all other journalists imprisoned in the country for their work.” Four members of the Muslim protest leaders still remain in prison, the Amharic service of the VOA reported. Photos from the scene showed some of the freed prisoners being presented with bouquets by well-wishers. Ustaz Nuru Turki received a hero’s welcome at his area Gulele’s Addisu Michael area. Among the pardoned included, members of the Oromo Liberation Front, Gibot 7 (Patriots Front), the Ogaden National Liberation Front, and the Gambella People’s Liberation Movement, the state-run Radio Fana reported.
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