Ethiopia frees 2 417 detainees
2005-11-10 20:37
Addis Ababa - Ethiopian police have released 2 417 people who were detained last week during deadly street riots about fraud allegations in the May general elections, officials said on Thursday.
Those freed are among an unknown number of people arrested in the wake of last week's unrest in the capital, Addis Ababa, and regional towns that left at least 46 people dead and hundreds injured.
The 2 147 "who were arrested for alleged involvement at various levels in the riot and violence... were set free as they were not found to be direct actors in the violence," said federal police.
A police statement said 1 779 were released from Addis Ababa Prison, 285 from Zewai Detention Centre, 225km south of the capital, and 353 from Dedesa Prison, 300km to the west.
The remaining detainees, whose number remains unknown, will be investigated before authorities take action, said the statement.
Last week's violence erupted when the opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) called on Ethiopians to protest about alleged fraud in the May 15 elections which were won by the country's ruling coalition.
On Wednesday, police freed 285 prisoners in a similar move.
The CUD's entire leadership remains in police custody.