Swedish journalists will be released after one year in captivity

The two Swedish journalists in jail in Ethiopia, may be released under the Ethiopian New Year celebrations on Tuesday, according to Swedish television  

Translated by Tsegaye Hailu

VG/ Norwegian news paper/ (September: 09/2012)

 Johan Persson og Martin Schibbye

Sweden's ambassador to Ethiopia wouldn't comment on the message. Broadcaster SVT / Svenske TV/ reported Sunday that a large number of prisoners expected to be released from Ethiopia jails in connection with the country enters a new year. Then there is a good chance that also Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye are released, it was said at SVT website. 

I am not going to comment on this, I say nothing says Sweden's ambassador in Addis Ababa, according to news agency TT. How ever the powerful leader of the Ethiopian elders, Eprahim Isaac, said in an interview with SVT that the decision to release the Swedes are taken. He said he heard this some time ago from the late Ethiopian prime minster, Meles Zenawi. In our last conversation he talked about releasing prisoners, among them journalists from Sweden, continues Issac.

Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye were arrested in July last year after they illegally had taken in from Somalia to the disputed Ogaden region of Ethiopia. In December they were sentenced to 11 years in prison for alleged collaboration with terrorists.