Ethiopians await release of high profile political prisoner [Video]

By Engidu Woldie | ESAT

A high profile political prisoners is expected to walk free today after four years of solitary confinement.

The leader of an opposition group based abroad, Andargachew Tsege was kidnapped at the Yemeni airport in June 2014, in a joint operation by the Yemeni and Ethiopian intelligence. He was sentenced to death in absentia in 2009.

News of his imminent release came on Saturday in the form of an amnesty by the government with the country’s attorney general announcing the pardon of Mr. Tsege and over 700 other political prisoners. That announcement was welcomed by Ethiopians at home and abroad with some of his supporters flocked at his residence in Addis Ababa singing and dancing in jubilation.

The 63 year old political prisoner is not new to Ethiopian politics. He spent his tender years as a young revolutionary and at the time of his arrest, he was the general secretary for Patriotic Ginbot 7, a group outlawed by the regime.

A British by citizenship, Andy spent much of his time in UK as a political refugee. His arrest drew international condemnation and the UK was criticized for not doing enough to secure the release of one of its citizens.

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