Charges on 528 Detainees Dropped ==== === ==== === === == ===

Charges on 528 detainees suspected of trespassing the  law of the country by taking part in conflicts have already dropped, the Federal Attorney General disclosed.

 Getachew Ambaye, the Attorney General said the detainees whose charges are dropped will be released on Wednesday after going through a two-day rehabilitation training.

 Detainees who are not suspected of murder, inflict severe bodily injuries, involve in destruction of infrastructures and did not try to oust constitutional order by force are eligible to the termination of charges.

Of the total cases terminated, 413 are from the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples regional state who were apprehended while taking part in the clashes occurred in Gedeo and Konso woredas, while the remaining are from the federal level.

According to Getachew, dropping of such cases is the short-term plan of the task force established to resolve problems in justice area.

The task force is working to amend the over 50 years old Criminal Code, and Commercial Code as well as introduce a new proclamation on the use of proportional power in its medium-term plan.

According to Getachew, building a strong justice system that would comply with the development of the country has incorporated in the long-term plan.

Through these consecutive activities, the public’s growing demand for good governance, fairness, and quick judiciary services will be maintained, he added.

Noting that dropping cases will be continued, Getachew said that this in no way of trespassing legal procedures rather helps maintaining the rule of law.

“Ensuring rule of law will never be tabled for negotiation” the Attorney General stressed.

Getachew noted that identifying cases which would be eligible to the same treatment in other regional states will be made through the task force.

The decision to drop cases of detainees suspected of trespassing the law came following the direction by the Executive Committee of EPRDF to widen the political space.