Ethiopia releases hundreds more poll protesters News
Ethiopia releases hundreds more poll protesters

[JURIST] Officials in Ethiopia have released another 395 protesters who were detainees after violent mass demonstrations [JURIST report] following Ethiopia's May 2005 elections, bringing the total number of protesters released to over 8,200. According to the prosecutor general's office, the 395 were released due to "low-level participation in the violence, their ages and their penitence."

Eighty people died and thousands were arrested in the violence that broke out after the May elections and in separate protests [JURIST report] in November 2005. The opposition Coalition of Unity and Democracy [party website] has accused Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of fraud in the elections. The treason trial [JURIST report] of 129 protestors will resume on March 22 [JURIST report]. Reuters has more.

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