The Ethiopian government has reportedly been preparing to release a number of political detainees around the Ethiopian New Year, September 11, 2026, but at least 30 prisoners have rejected a proposed pardon document that would require them to acknowledge wrongdoing, apologize to the government and the public, and accept responsibility for deaths and destruction associated with the conflict in the Amhara region.
The reported plan was disclosed this week by Meseret Media, while Wazema Radio separately reported that detainees had rejected what they described as a conditional pardon.
According to Meseret Media, prisoners who agree to the proposed arrangement could also be required to undergo two or three days of training before their release. The outlet further reported that preparations are also reportedly underway for T-shirts carrying the Amharic phrase: "Aydegmem!" or "It will not happen again!"
If confirmed, the measure would suggest that the planned releases are being framed not simply as pardons but as a process requiring detainees to publicly acknowledge wrongdoing and pledge not to repeat it.
This comes amid the continuing armed conflict in Ethiopia’s Amhara region, where federal forces and Fano armed groups have fought since 2023. Journalists, politicians, academics and other individuals have been arrested in connection with the political and security crisis.
What does the proposed pardon require?
According to the wording of the document published by Meseret Media, detainees would be required to acknowledge that their participation in what the document describes as the struggle of an "extremist group" in Amhara was wrong.
They would also be expected to apologize to the government and the public, accept responsibility for lives lost and property destroyed during the conflict, promise not to participate in similar activities again, and consent to government action against them should they violate that commitment.
Wazema reported that the defendants argued that signing such a document would amount to admitting criminal responsibility before their cases have been finally determined by a court. They reportedly maintain that they are entitled to the presumption of innocence and to defend themselves against the government’s allegations.
Who are the 30 detainees?
The list published by Meseret Media includes prominent political figures and journalists alongside academics and others.
Yohannes Buayalew is a politician and member of the Amhara Regional State Council. He has previously held senior political positions in the region and has been associated with the ruling Prosperity Party structure in Amhara. He was arrested in August 2023 amid the federal government’s response to the conflict in the region. He was a key figure in support of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed during the 2020-2022 Tigray war.
Dr. Wondwossen Assefa is a medical doctor and health economist whose name has appeared among detainees connected with the Amhara political and security crisis.
Dr. Sisay Awgichew is an academic. Haramaya University lists a Sisay Awgichew Wondemetegegn as an assistant professor specializing in Curriculum and Instruction.
Meskerem Abera is the founder and editor of the YouTube-based Ethio Nikat Media, which has covered Ethiopian politics and issues affecting the Amhara community. She was arrested in Addis Ababa in April 2023 and subsequently charged under Ethiopia’s anti-terrorism law.
Gobeze Sisay is a journalist, editor and founder of the YouTube-based The Voice of Amhara. His reporting has focused heavily on politics, human rights and the conflict in Amhara. He was arrested in Djibouti in May 2023 and transferred to Ethiopia under circumstances that generated international concern. Ethiopian prosecutors subsequently charged him with terrorism-related offences.
Abay Zewdu is a journalist and chief editor of Amhara Media Center, a privately owned broadcaster operating through satellite and online platforms. He has previously been detained in connection with his journalistic work. The Committee to Protect Journalists documented his detention in 2022, including his continued detention after a court granted bail.
Dawit Begashaw is a journalist associated with Arat Kilo Media. He was arrested in April 2023 and was later among the journalists charged by federal prosecutors alongside Meskerem Abera, Genet Asmamaw and Gobeze Sisay. CPJ’s records continue to identify him as an imprisoned Ethiopian journalist facing terrorism-related charges.
Genet Asmamaw is a journalist who worked for YouTube-based Medlot Media and has reported on political issues affecting Amharas. She was arrested in Addis Ababa in April 2023 and charged with terrorism in June of that year. She and her co-defendants have challenged the allegations, and she pleaded not guilty when appearing in court in November 2024.
Member of Parliament Christian Tadele is also central to the wider case.
Another prominent politician mentioned in reporting surrounding the detainees who refused to sign is Christian Tadele, a member of Ethiopia’s federal House of Peoples’ Representatives.
Tadele became known as one of the more outspoken parliamentary critics of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government, particularly on security and political issues affecting the Amhara population.
He was arrested on August 4, 2023, the same day the federal government declared a state of emergency in response to the escalating Amhara conflict.
His case, together with that of Yohannes Buayalew and other political figures, has therefore become part of the broader debate over whether the arrests are legitimate criminal prosecutions or the detention of political opponents.
Precedent from the past
After the disputed 2005 Ethiopian election, CUD (Kinijit) leaders were arrested, prosecuted and eventually convicted, with several receiving life sentences. Following months of mediation by elders, they signed a pardon request acknowledging mistakes, and 38 opposition figures were pardoned and released in July 2007. There was, however, considerable controversy over what the leaders believed they had admitted by signing the document.
The key difference with the current case is that the CUD leaders had already been convicted and sentenced when they sought pardons. Many of the current detainees are reportedly still defendants whose cases have not reached final judgment. The 30 detainees refusing the proposed pardon therefore argue that signing a document accepting responsibility would amount to admitting guilt before a court has found them guilty.
What happens to the 30 who refused?
According to reports, discussions are taking place within government circles over how to handle prisoners who refuse to sign the document.
The government could proceed with releases for those who accept the conditions while keeping the 30 objectors in detention, modify the terms of the proposed agreement, or pursue another legal or political arrangement.
The question is about more than the possible release of several dozen prisoners. It raises a broader legal and political question in Ethiopia: Can defendants who have not been finally convicted be required to acknowledge criminal responsibility as the price of obtaining their freedom?
It has long been customary for Ethiopian governments to release or pardon prisoners in connection with the Ethiopian New Year.
Originally published on UMD Media Facebook on 2026-08-13T09:00:00-06:00. Source: https://www.facebook.com/getachew.UMDMedia