Ethiopia: 13,000 pardoned under amnesty law

By Addis Getachew

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AA) - More than 13,200 people have benefited from the amnesty law over the past six months, local media reported.

The amnesty law which was promulgated by the Ethiopian parliament on July 20, 2018 for six months expired on Monday.

“More than 13,200 individuals benefitted from the edict in the past six months,” FANA, a local broadcaster, reported, citing a statement by the Federal Attorney General’s Office.

The law granted amnesty to individuals and groups either under investigation or convicted of treason, crime against the constitutional order and armed struggle.

However, criminals convicted of genocide, extrajudicial killings, forced abduction, and committing torture and beating could not benefit from the law.

This came after Africa’s youngest leader Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came into power.

Under his rule, political prisoners have been released and dissenting forces were invited into the country to participate in the political and democratization processes in the country.