Ethiopian authorities have disclosed the release of an additional 2,252 persons detained some 11 weeks ago during unrest in cities around the country to protest against alleged fraud in last May's elections, the local press reported Saturday, according to DPA. They were released from Federal Prison in Zenawi, 130 kilometres south of Addis Ababa, where they had been kept in custody since early November for causing minor damage to property during the unrest. The report quoted the Federal Police as saying their release came after a series of investigations had indicated their participation in the post-election unrest had been minimal. It brings to nearly 3,000 the number of persons whom authorities have released this past week, involving those whose involvement in th unrest was deemed to have been minor. Altogether, the government has now released over 13,000 persons who had been detained in the unrest. Unrest in Addis Ababa in June and then again in November claimed some 90 lives. Police said 656 detainees now remain at the Zewai Federal Prison awaiting trial for their alleged involvement in the disturbances that followed the bitterly-contested May 15 multi-party general elections.
