Jailed Ethiopians 'to be freed' BBC

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(BBC) A group of 38 Ethiopian opposition leaders found guilty of links to violent election protests is to be freed, they have told their families. They say they have signed a document to secure their release but it is not clear what this is. Their friends and relatives went on Monday morning to the town of Kaliti where they are being held but were disappointed when they were not freed.

The 38 were convicted earlier this month but have not yet been sentenced. They were originally charged with treason and genocide - charges which sparked international outrage.

Secret deal

The BBC's Elizabeth Blunt in Addis Ababa says the speculation is that the opposition leaders might apologise for their actions, or they might finally agree to take up the seats they won in parliament, something they have refused to do so far.
But the prisoners had all refused to tell their families exactly what they had signed, this being a condition of the deal they made.

[ Read the rest... EthioGuardian.com: News:]"