Ethiopia pardons over 500 Prisoners on Christmas Day

The Ethiopian government on Wednesday announced amnesty to some 530 federal prisoners amid Ethiopia’s unique Christmas day celebrations.

Prisoners were pardoned amid the unique Ethiopian Christmas, as the country prepares to mark the day on Jan. 7 to remember the birth of Jesus Christ based on the traditions of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, state affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate reported on Wednesday.

According to the Ethiopian Federal Attorney General’s office, the amnesty was made as part of the ongoing national reconciliation move.

Ethiopia, which celebrated its New Year on Sept. 11, had also granted an amnesty for thousands of prisoners on the occasion of the Ethiopian New Year.

Hundreds of exiled Ethiopians over the past months have flocked into the east African country following recent reform move by Ethiopia’s ruling coalition the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front.

The Ethiopian government, following Abiy Ahmed’s appointment as the country’s Prime Minister in April 2018, has been implementing various decisions aimed at creating a nationwide reconciliation.

They include the release of high-level political prisoners, invitation for Ethiopian rebel groups for talks as well as the decision to normalise relations with its regional arch-rival Eritrea