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 Release of political prisoners 

On January 3rd 2018 Prime Minister Desalegn, jointly with leaders of the EPRDF’s four member parties, announced a government plan to release some imprisoned politicians and other opposition figures, and to close down Maekelawi Prison and transform the building into a museum. The prisoners would instead be lodged in an investigation centre approved by the House of People’s Representatives, the lower house of the Ethiopian Federal Parliament.

Officially named the Ethiopian Federal Police Force Central Bureau of Criminal Investigation (Maekelawi being its Amharic name), the police station in downtown Addis Ababa was used as a detention centre for people accused of crimes against the state brought from all over the country, and its jailers have long been accused of denying the inmates their rights, such as access to lawyers, family visits and even subjecting them to torture.

On Friday April 6th, the state-affiliated media outlet Fana Broadcasting Corporate announced the official closure of the prison and the transfer of its remaining occupants to other detention facilities. However, former detainees have expressed concerns that the inhumane practices previously carried out at Maekelawi would be continued elsewhere, possibly including prisoners whose guilt has yet to proven.

Regarding the release of political prisoners, according to Amnesty International 528 detainees from several jails were released on January 17. Among those set free was politician Merera Gudina, chairman of the opposition Oromo Federalist Congress and an ethnic Oromo. He had been arrested on November 29th 2016 as he was returning from a trip to Brussels; he was accused of having communications with a terrorist organization, the group in question being the Patriotic Ginbot 7. On that same trip to Brussels, Gudina spoke before the European Parliament along the leader of Ginbot 7 Berhanu Nega, about the thousands of arrest carried out under the state of emergency that had started on October of the same year.

According to Reuters, between the original announcement in January 3rd and the publication of their article in February 8th, nearly 6000 political prisoners and journalists had been released and another 746 were announced to be pardoned shortly afterwards, including journalist Eskinder Nega and politician Andualem Aragie. Nega had been imprisoned since 2011 presumably for criticising the country’s anti-terrorism laws. Aragie, Vice-President and Press Secretary of the Unity for Democracy and Justice Party (UDJP), was also arrested in 2011 under terrorism charges. Both Nega and Aragie were convicted on June 27th 2012 to 18 years and life sentence respectively. Both Nega and Aragie were released on February 14th 2018; before his release Nega had been pressured to sign a confession admitting his membership to Ginbot 7, but despite his refusal he was released regardless. However, both Nega and Aragie were once again arrested the 25th of March, accused of gathering in violation of the new state of emergency.

 Resignation of Desalegn and State of Emergency 

Hailemariam Desalegn announced his resignation from both the office of Prime Minister and as chairman of the EPRDF ruling party, but also indicated he would remain in power until his successor was chosen. He stepped down to appease the social strains and their economic consequences from the ongoing protests that started in 2015. The turmoil remained unabated even after the January prisoner-release efforts; in fact, there were new demonstrations and strikes in the Oromo region complaining about the slow pace of the promised releases.

The day following Desalegn’s resignation, the Ethiopian Council of Ministers announced a nation-wide state of emergency starting immediately. Some of the measures put in place include: protests and any form of assembly (for which Nega and Aragie were arrested in March); actions by anti-government protesters like the closing of public services and businesses; and distributing information that can lead to further violence.

The State of Emergency was ratified by the Ethiopian Parliament on March 2nd, and a successor was announced to be expected by the 5th of May – estimation which was not met. However, there were claims of vote fraud after the website Addis Standard published footage that showed only 346 of the 539 delegates of the House of People’s Representatives had voted in favour of ratifying the State of Emergency – less than the 360 or two-thirds majority needed to approve said type of measure, and even lower than the 395 votes the Ethiopian News Agency, state-run press, declared had been cast in favour.

Some members of the Oromo People’s Democratic Organization (OPDO) lobbied against the ratification of the measure, and an influential former Assistant Secretary of State, namely Herman Cohen, expressed his opposition to the state of emergency in social media. The idea of second state of emergency, after the repression associated with the previous one implemented between October 2016 and August 2017, that led to detainment of over 11,000 people, and the mistreatment of many of these. And as of April 1st, more than 1,100 people had already been arrested due to the restrictions of the second state of emergency, with charges ranging from arson of private residences and financial institutions, to blocking roads and other consequences of protests.

 Election of new Prime Minister 

Finally on April 2nd a new Ethiopian Prime Minister was elected by the EPRDF to succeed Desalegn as chairman of the party and leader of the country: Abiye Ahmed, an Oromo retired-general. This choice is significant because of his representation of the Oromo people, who haven’t been in power despite being the largest ethnic group with a third of the population.