Ethiopia releases 2,400 election protestors from prison News
Ethiopia releases 2,400 election protestors from prison

[JURIST] The Ethiopian government on Thursday released 2,417 prisoners held without charge in connection with a violent confrontation with police that left 42 people dead last week. The riot occured during a protest against alleged ballot fraud said to have been orchestrated by the Coalition for Unity and Democracy [official website], Ethiopia's largest opposition party. Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi [BBC News profile] announced [JURIST report] Wednesday that opposition party leaders and journalists who are alleged to have incited the riots would face charges of treason. Last June, the Ethiopian government arrested over 3,000 people [JURIST report] in connection with an election result protest that left 36 dead. Most protestors were later released [JURIST report]. Reuters has more

THIS DAY @ LAW

South Africa becomes first country on continent to legalize same-sex marriage

Same-sex marriages became legal in South Africa on November 30, 2006 as the country's Civil Union Act, 2006 went into effect, making South Africa the only country on the African continent to legalize same-sex marriage. Read the Civil Union Act, 2006.