Ethiopia releases 31 more opposition detainees

ADDIS ABABA, Aug 18 (Reuters) Ethiopia today freed 31 opposition members who had been held without charge since a disputed 2005 election led to violent street protests, a senior official said.

The Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) members were arrested after they cried foul over some 2005 election results, sparking protests in which 200 people were killed, 800 wounded and 30,000 arrested, according to a parliamentary inquiry.

''They admitted their guilt in a letter,'' Special Adviser to Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, Bereket Simon, told Reuters. ''That is the basis for their pardon.'' But global anti-poverty campaigner ActionAid said at least two activists, including one of its own staff, remained in prison facing charges of ''outrage against the constitution''.

They were not released, the aid agency said, because they refused to sign a formal apology.

''They ... continue to defend their case. They declined to join the others in an appeal for a pardon,'' ActionAid spokesman Julian Filochowski said in a statement, adding that they were ''prisoners of conscience''.

It was unclear how many other prisoners were still being held in relation to the riots.

Another 38 opposition members were pardoned and released last month, including party chairman Hailu Shawel and Addis Ababa mayor-elect Berhanu Nega.

They had been convicted of inciting violence and trying to topple the government but were released after writing apologies.

None of the 31 let out today had convictions.

The CUD has rejected the pardons as ''theatre'' meant to humiliate the opposition.

Bereket said the government wanted to give the opposition the chance to ''participate in the democratic process as long as the rule of law is respected''.

The opposition says government vote-rigging denied them victory in the polls and accuses Zenawi of being an increasingly intolerant autocrat.

Reuters SYU DB2314