A court has ruled that 22 suspects in the Assefa case should be released on bail

The Federal High Court’s Lideta Division 1 Criminal Court has ordered the release of 22 suspects charged in the Getachew Assefa case on bail of 30,000 birr each.

The suspects in the alleged human rights abuses were former National Intelligence and Security Service personnel. With one judge’s objection and two judges ‘votes in favor, the defendants’ right to bail was upheld.

Among those granted bail were Yared Zerihun, former deputy director of national intelligence and security, and Tesfaye Urge, head of the agency’s anti-terrorism department.