The Ethiopian High Court Tuesday ordered the release of 13 Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) leaders who had been charged with terrorism.
The OLF leaders including Colonel Gemechu Ayana were freed after two years of imprisonment until the court found them not guilty, slamming government’s allegations that they involved in terrorism.
“They were accused of organizing, leading and deploying forces for violence that occurred in Oromia regional state of Ethiopia two years ago,” lawyer of the defendants Tuli Bayissa has said.
The federal police had accused the leaders of conspiring to topple the Oromia regional government by force by instigating violence in four zones of Wellega and west Shoa zone in collaboration with the rebel OLF-Shene.
Colonel Gemechu Ayana, in particular, had been accused of offering military training, organizing and leading the military wing of the rebel OLF Shene.
