On 30 January 2018, the Federal Attorney General said charges against 598 suspects have been dropped in Amhara regional state. The suspects will be released after rehabilitation training.
Of the suspects 224 are from north Gondar, 176 from Awi, 107 from west Gojam, 41 from east Gojam, 17 from south Wollo, 14 from Oromo Special zone, two from Wag Himra and one from north Shoa zones. Similarly, the regional state pardoned 2, 905 inmates, according to Nigussu Tilahun, head of the regional state communication affairs office.
The move is part of the decisions made by heads of the four member parties of EPRDF to pardon some politicians and individuals in order to build national consensus and widen the political space.
