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Meskerem Abera, founder and owner of a YouTube based platform called Ethio Niqat, was released on bail of 30,000 birr. Addis Ababa Police Commission Appeals to Court of Cassation today following Monday rejection.
Meskerem is best known for her political analysis: She spent the past 23 days in custody at the Third Police Station at the Addis Ababa Police Commission headquarters. She left the police station at around 5:30 pm today and was received by her family and lawyer.
Meskerem Abera was granted bail of 30,000 birr by the Federal Court of First Instance on Monday, June 13; 2022. However, Addis Ababa police have twice appealed and she has not been released till today.
Investigating police first appealed to the Federal High Court. The Federal High Court’s Arada Division of Appeals denied bail to the police on Tuesday, June 14.
Police filed an appeal with the Federal Supreme Court this afternoon. The case was re-assigned to another judge, and the case was reopened on Wednesday, June 15. Cassation hearing held today.
“The lower courts have granted bail before I can complete my investigation,” the prosecutor said. The prosecutor said he had received the investigation file from the police and asked the court to give him 15 days to file charges.
Two lawyers representing Meskerem, “The prosecutor cannot ask for a hearing without a lower court hearing,” he argued. The Cassation Court, which heard the left-right argument, said: “There is no legal basis for prosecution,”
Meskerem Abera was arrested by police 23 days ago on May 20; 2022. It is worth noting that the police repeatedly investigated in September that she had been charged with “inciting violence.”
