9,800 suspects arrested under State of Emergency to be released

 

Some 9,800 suspects who were arrested under the State of Emergency declared on October 8, 2016 would be released next Wednesday, the Command Post which was established to oversee the implementation of the six-month state of emergency has said.

The State of Emergency Inquiry Board said a month ago that 11, 607 suspects had been detained for creating and inciting violence in various parts of the country.

Briefing reporters on Saturday, Siraj Fegessa, the Minister of Defense and Secretariat of the Command Post, said 9,800 of the suspects will be freed next Wednesday while 2, 449 other suspects will face justice.

He said 12,500 other suspects were arrested in the second round. “These detainees will be released after receiving training or will face justice,” he added.

According to Siraj, the Command Post has managed to detain 19 groups of mobsters and has been hunting for other suspects who participated in the violence.

The Minister indicated that the Command Post has already identified 4, 000 suspects who will join the newly established Senkele training center in west Shoa zone, Oromia Regional State.

The remaining detainees will be released after receiving training at centers that were used to train the first round detainees, he added.

source ebc