#NewsAlert: Ethiopia terminates charges against TPLF military, civilian leaders
Addis Abeba – The Ministry of Justice has announced that the charges against the military and civilians members of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) who were accused of various criminal offenses have been terminated.
The Ministry said that the decision was based on the Permanent Cessation of Hostilities Agreement signed between the federal government and the TPLF to terminate pending criminal charges which will be considered in the framework of a transitional justice, taking into account the international experience.
In July 2021, the Federal Prosecutor charged 62 former and current members of the TPLF under the case file of Debretsion Gebremichael (PhD), Chairman and Executive Committee (EC) member of the Tigray People’s Liberation front (TPLF). The file includes Executive Committee, and Cabinet members of the regional state government, which was ousted by the federal government and subsequently replaced by an Interim Administration in December 2020.
Separate charges were also brought against Lieutenant General Tadesse Worede, General Gebre Tsadkan Gebre Tensae and 73 other people who prosecutors accused of “attempting to overthrow the federal government via a coup in collaboration with TPLF members.
In January 2022, top former TPLF officials including Sebhat Nega, Mulu G/Egziabher, Kidusan Nega, Ambassador Abadi Zemu, Abay Woldu were released.
Former Speaker of the House of Federation Keria Ibrahim was briefly released but was taken back under police custody after refusing to testify against 42 defendants in Abreha Tekeste’s file.
The Ministry said today that it was necessary to drop the charges against and have their cases dealt with in the framework of transitional justice.
