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Ethiopia’s state broadcaster says 10,000 prisoners have been pardoned in the restive Oromia region, though it is not clear whether they were detained under the country’s state of emergency.

Broadcaster EBC reported that those that were pardoned included the old, those with chronic diseases and those that had children.

It was however categorical that those sentenced for rape, human trafficking and corruption were not among those released.

The Oromia region has been hit by violent anti-government protests that spread to other parts of the country.

The protests led to the government declaring a state of emergency in October.