1. Posted on Wednesday 12 September 2012 - 11:00

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   AfricaNews Monitoring Team with files from BBC

   Two Swedish journalists freed by the Ethiopian government have left the country, a spokeswoman for Sweden's foreign affairs ministry say. Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson were jailed last year after being captured with rebels in eastern Ethiopia.They have gone to a secret location to rest. It was not known when they would return to Sweden, she said, adding it would be up to them to make that decision.

   

   Prime Minister Meles Zenawi pardoned the journalists before his death last month.
   
   Schibbye and Persson were captured in July 2011 by Ethiopian troops during a clash with fighters of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), which Ethiopia regards as a terrorist group.
   
   They were in the remote south-eastern region of Ogaden, populated mainly by ethnic Somalis, to investigate the activities of a company affiliated with the Swedish oil firm Lundin Petroleum.
   
   They have always argued they were in Ethiopia just to do their job.
   
   They appealed for clemency following their conviction in December 2011 for supporting the ONLF.
   
   Mr Meles, who was in power for 21 years, died last month after a long illness.
   

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Reactions

1. Posted on Thursday 13 September 2012 11:40

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   abdi

   

   Abdirashid Abdi Diis
   271 berichten
   Lid sinds July 2010

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   Ethiopia, well done for giving the journalists their freedom back. I am so happy to hear that Martin and his colleague Johan are safe and back home. surely silencing the voicing of the journalists is not something to be proud with . Please give both local and international journalists a conducive environment to work in.
   Abdirashid Abdi

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