Breaking News: Free at Last! Birtukan Released from Jail
(UPDATE) Addis Neger Online has confirmed that the jailed opposition leader Birtukan Mideksa has been freed from prison. -Birtukan said that she requested pardon from government. -Birtukan’s first interviewer was VOA’s Meleskachew Amaha. -Our correspondent in Addis Ababa said that he had never seen such an emotional welcome. -Birtukan walked on red carpet to get [...]
(UPDATE)
Addis Neger Online has confirmed that the jailed opposition leader Birtukan Mideksa has been freed from prison.
-Birtukan said that she requested pardon from government.
-Birtukan’s first interviewer was VOA’s Meleskachew Amaha.
-Our correspondent in Addis Ababa said that he had never seen such an emotional welcome.
-Birtukan walked on red carpet to get into her house.
-At Ferensay Legacion(where her residence is located), people are celebrating her release with incredible scenes of jubilation; dancing and singing outside her house and strewing petals on the road.
- When she left prison compound, the process was videotaped by unidentified cameraman.
-There were sounds of loud cheers from Addis Ababans as the white minibus carrying her drove through the streets of Addis Ababa. Birtukan responded to adoring fans by waving her hand.
-Her daughter, Halle, was sitting besides her.
-Professor Mesfin Woldemariam and Dr. Yacob Hailemariam were among the people waiting for her outside prison.
Earlier:
-Eye witnesses told Addis Neger online that Birtukan is not seen in her family’s house at Fernsay Legasion. However, the house is decorated with small Ethiopian flags and a big poster. The colorful plastic poster depicts a big picture of Birtukan with Amharic and English welcoming statements. The statements read: “enkuan lebetish abekash” and “welcome home”. Her mother, Almaz Gebregzihaber, is preparing fasting food for guests. Residents of the area stop over at Birtukan’s home and congratulate her mother. Journalists and supporters are waiting for Birtukan outside of the compound.
- Elders group led by Professor Ephrem Issac will give a press conference about the release of Birtukan around mid day at Sheraton Addis Hotel.
(MORE TO COME)
Well, may God keep her and strengthen her.
And may He give us in the democracy movement the humility and patience to get along and cooperate with each other, so as to not let her suffering have been in vain.
Thanks Addis neger for this extesive covorage of the story.
Congradulations every one, conragulations dear Birtukan!!!!!!!!!!!!
Everytime I start to think TPLF has some sense and mature leadership quality they prove me wrong. The case of Birtukan is a case in point. When I heard of her release i though may be after so many years in power TPLF is feeling secure and showing magnanimity for the first time in their history. They proved me wrong again. When I saw the pardon papers and how much they intended to humiliate Birtukan and the opposition, it just show how moraly and spiritually bankrupt they are. This reminds me of the derg era where tortured prisoners were shown on TV to confess their crime. Given the condition under which she was released, it shows TPLF is a criminal organization like the derg that takes pleasure in the pain of others. Imagine a government voted by 99.6% of the population acting this way.
Oh gosh! What an anomalous thing am i hearing. i am so amazed by what Birtukan does. Why was she grappling behind the bars if she were aware of her mistake. It is s/thing difficult to say anything.
A– “Free at Last! Do you really mean it?
“Stone walls do not a prison make,
Nor iron bars a cage;
Minds innocent and quiet take
That for a hermitage:
If I have freedom in my love,
And in my soul am free–
Angels alone that soar above
Enjoy such liberty.”(R Lovelace)
I would have put it:
“Graciuosly granted permission to be with us in the bigger ‘Qaaliti’
WELCOME BIRTIQUAN AND CONGRA TO HALIE!!!!”
B– Never mind what paper she signed.For that we have precedences.Who can tell me how many times Honorable PM trampled on what is ‘enshrigned’in that ‘sacrosanct’ Constitution of his?’ Birtiquan is only one living example-the ‘denbegna’ of Qaaliti among the many others who are not alowed even this.
Birtukan was brutally tortured in prison. Meles thought he broke her spirit by making her sign a pardon document and forced her to give interview to the media about ther pardon request. In her ETV interview she told the world that the time she spent in solitary confinement in prison was the hardest. She was obviously tortured. In the free world where justice is served fairly for all, signing any document under duress is illegal, it is not admissible to court. Birtukan’s pardon request and signature tells that she was under extreme pressure.
TPLf she is a pow so she must sighn how degrading words you wrote down, for the sake of her daughter but they are humiliating Ethiopias as a whole not youg leader he had her in torment den voltures picking on her soule daily as they done it to all Ethiopians no one blame her for surrender she is born from largest clan Oromo,Amhara even though Ethiopia is in her mind not Ethnic but fear is killing Meles & TPLF for whom she is from humiliation can’nt distroy true Ethiopians but oly bandas die from it we shall win!!
Tazabi,
Correct me please.
I thought if you win with 99.6% then you ought to be only 0.4% democratic and 99.6% autocratic.Is it not why they are doing what they do?
May be I am confused.
It was supposed to be an ironic remark. Of course nobody in their right mind would believe that TPLF will win even a simple majority let alone 99.6% of the vote