NPR

Ethiopia Says It Will Free All Of Its Political Prisoners

It's a turnaround for a government that has cracked down on dissent — and has not even admitted that it held political prisoners. The prime minister said a notorious prison would be closed.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, speaking here at a forum in China last May, announced Wednesday that all political prisoners would be freed.

Ethiopia's prime minister has announced that the country will free all of its political prisoners, pardon them and close a notorious prison.

It's a surprising turnaround for a government that has launched a sweeping crackdown on dissent, and has

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