Ethiopian authorities have dropped charges against a senior opposition leader and hundreds of others who had been detained for involvement in a wave of unrests that shook the country in 2015 and 2016, the country’s attorney general said on Monday.
The protests erupted in central Oromiya region, sparked by allegations of land grabbing.
Subsequent clashes with security authorities and stampedes led to hundreds of deaths and injuries to many more.
Several dissent politicians have since been jailed having been charged with involvement in terrorism activities and collusion with the secessionist Oromo Liberation Front, which the government has branded a terrorist group.
Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn announced earlier this month that jailed politicians would be released and those facing trial would have their cases dismissed in a bid to foster reconciliation.
On Monday, Attorney General Getachew Ambaye told journalists that 528 people had so far been selected for clemency, including Merera Gudina – leader of the opposition group Oromo Federalist Congress who was arrested in late 2015.
Merera was arrested after a trip to Brussels to meet members of the European Parliament, and formally charged with attempting to “dismantle or disrupt social, economic and political activity”.
He was also accused of backing a terrorist movement, as well as flouting guidelines on a state of emergency that was imposed for nine months during his trip to Belgium.
Hailemariam made his announcement after the ruling EPRDF coalition concluded a weeks-long meeting meant to thrash out policies to address grievances.
