Ethiopia denies it has intentions to release more political prisoners

ADDIS ABABA – The Ethiopian government has denied that it intends to release more political prisoners as a gesture to engage the rebel Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) in a bid to achieve peace.

Earlier this week, Sudans Post published a report in which it quoted a statement by the Ethiopian embassy in France as telling French lawmakers that it intends to release more high-profile political dissidents as a goodwill for peace with the TPLF.

But in a statement this afternoon, the Ethiopian embassy in Paris said the report by Sudans Post “completely misrepresents the meeting of the Embassy with French Members of the Senate.”

Last month, Ethiopia released several opposition leaders from prison as the government said it would begin dialogue with political opponents after 14 months of war.

The Ethiopian embassy in Paris said the statement issued following the meeting with French senators was referring to the already released political opponents and not a new intention by the government to release more.

“The meeting with the Senators referred to already released high political figures from prison, to the government’s commitment to peace and to TPLF’s renewed actions to thwart peace efforts and humanitarian delivery through attacks on adjacent Amhara and Afar regions,” the embassy said.

“The meeting did not refer or mention any future release as the Sudans Post wrongly claims,” the statement concluded.