October 9/2007

THOUSANDS OF POLITICAL PRISONERS ARE STILL INCARCERATED

SOCEPP is issuing this communiqué because of two injurious and false reports or statements made as regards the fate of political prisoners in Ethiopia.

1. The false report carried by one website that the regime in Ethiopia has released close to 18,000 political prisoners.

2; The surprising statement by one opposition leader testifying to the House of representatives in Washington DC and stating that the number of political prisoners is no more than a  hundred.

The facts need to be restated firmly.

·        There are more than 35,000 political prisoners in Ethiopia;

·        The claim that, of these, 95% come from one ethnic group is false.

The Meles Zenawi regime claims that it holds no political prisoner in any of its official and secret prisons. This is a lie that has been exposed time and again. A leader of an opposition group, especially one who has been in prison till late, cannot and should not give cover to the repressive regime. The regime released only 213 prisoners during the New Year, and most were not political prisoners. So, the assertion that thousands of political prisoners were released is also baseless.  It is proper to demand the release of ALL political prisoners and not of the selected few.

Release All Political Prisoners in Ethiopia!!

SOCEPP