Ethiopia 'pardons' jailed Swedes
LONDON. September 10. KAZINFORM Ethiopia has pardoned two Swedish journalists jailed last year for supporting terrorism, an official has said, adding they would be freed soon.
Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson are serving an 11-year jail term after they were captured in July 2011 with rebels in eastern Ethiopia.
Prime Minister Meles Zenawi pardoned the journalists before his death last month, the official said.
They have always argued they were in Ethiopia just to do their job.
Schibbye and Persson appealed for clemency following their conviction in December 2011 for supporting the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), which Ethiopia regards as a terrorist group.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they would be freed this week along with about 1,900 other prisoners.
"It was never the intention of the government to see them languish in jail," he is quoted by AP news agency as saying.
The Ethiopian New Year - when prisoners are often released - will be celebrated on Tuesday.
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