http://www.voanews.com/a/critics-skeptical-prisoner-release-signals-change-ethiopia/3506469.html
Critics Skeptical that Prisoner Release Signals Change in Ethiopia
September 13, 2016 8:44 PM
Salem Solomon
The Ethiopian government pardoned more than 700 prisoners in
celebration of New Year's Day on the Ethiopian calendar and the Muslim
holiday Eid.
Among those released were people charged under the country's
controversial anti-terror law. Critics of the law say it is used to
stifle dissent and lock up political opposition members.
Ustaz Kamil Shemsu was imprisoned in 2012 when many Muslims in
Ethiopia protested what they said was government interference in their
religious doctrine. He was sentenced to 22 years.
"It's difficult to say I am happy because there are still other
brothers left in prison," he told VOA Amharic.
Prisoners were released from Kaliti, Dire Dawa, Ziway, Shewa Robit and
Harer, as well as other prisons administered by the federal government
in the Southern region, Tigray region and Amhara region.
Hayatel Kubera was a freshman in college in Addis Ababa when she was
arrested in 2012 and taken to an Ethiopian investigation center known
as Maekelawi. She said she was arrested in relation to the Muslim
protest movement and was still under investigation and awaiting trial
at the time of her release.
FILE - A Muslim boy attends Eid al-Fitr prayers to mark the end of the
holy fasting month of Ramadan in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, July 6,
2016.The Ethiopian government pardoned more than 700 prisoners in
celebration of New Year's Day on the Ethiopian calendar and the Muslim
holiday Eid.
"The prison suddenly called us last week on Monday, along with men and
one woman,” she said. “They told us that the government doesn't want
you to be imprisoned so you will be released."
Government media announced that the president signed the pardon for
Muslim groups because they expressed regret, according to Ethiopian
Prosecutor-General Getachew Ambaye.
In 2012, the Muslim community in Ethiopia was introduced to new
religious teachings known as Al-Ahbash. The Ethiopian government
considered the teaching to be modern and began trainings in the fall
of 2011. However, it encountered stiff resistance from some Muslims
uncomfortable with the new teachings. Students walked out of classes
in protest, and demanded a change of teachers appointed by the
government.
Silent protests and sit-ins at mosques followed, and the members of a
17-person committee selected to represent students were arrested and
charged with extremism.
"The claim from the committee's side, and I think there is good enough
evidence that support that, was that the Al-Ahbash movement was
invited and forced upon the Muslim community, kind of like telling
them what type of Islam they were supposed to be adhering to, which is
a violation of the constitution," said Terje Ostebo, director of the
Center for Global Islamic Studies and an associate professor at the
University of Florida.
Muslims make up of 33.9 percent of the total population of about 100
million in Ethiopia, according to the Central Intelligence Agency.
Ostebo stressed that the government has released prisoners before, and
that this holiday pardon doesn't necessarily signal a willingness to
change.
"It's kind of common in Ethiopia that New Year is the time when you
show leniency and grant pardons,” he said. “I'm not sure if I could
put it that strongly that they are acknowledging any mistakes."
Yusuf Getachew, editor-in-chief of faith-based magazine Ye Muslimoch
Guday, or Muslim Affairs, was one of the people released. He was
arrested in July 2012.
"The government asked if we are going to accept the pardon or not, and
we accepted it and that's why we were released," he said.
He had been sentenced to seven years.
Murithi Mutiga of the Committee to Protect Journalists said his
organization was calling on Ethiopian authorities to free all
prisoners of conscience.
"There is a very large number of people that have been detained within
very secretive and large detention facilities that have done nothing
else other than to simply do their jobs as journalists," he said. "I
think the Ethiopian authorities would do a very good thing to just let
all prisoners of conscience … please let them go."
Salem Solomon
Salem Solomon is a journalist and web producer at Voice of America’s
Horn of Africa Service, where she reports in English, Amharic and
Tigrigna. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Poynter.org,
Reuters and The Tampa Bay Times. Salem researches trends in analytics
and digital journalism, and her data-driven work has been featured in
VOA’s special projects collection.
Received on Tue Sep 13 2016 - 21:08:47 EDT