ELAW partner released from prison

April 8, 2008

Dear Friends,

I write with great news!

ELAW partner Netsanet Demissie was released from an Ethiopian prison on March 28, after nearly two and a half years in jail.

ELAW partner Netsanet Demissie

Netsanet is the founder of the Organisation for Social Justice in Ethiopia. OSJE was chosen by civil society organizations in Ethiopia to be the secretariat of a 35-member network to monitor Ethiopia`s May 2005 elections. Following that contentious election, thousands were arrested. Most were released.

Netsanet made an incredible sacrifice to defend the rule of law. We applaud his courage and are thankful that this travesty of justice has come to an end. I traveled to Ethiopia in 2004 to work with Netsanet on environmental and human rights issues. ELAW will now pick up where we left off.

Many thanks to ELAW`s friends and partners around the world who sent letters to Ethiopian authorities demanding Netsanet`s release.

Our voices were finally heard!

Sincerely,

Jennifer Gleason
Staff Attorney
Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide (ELAW)

P.S. For more information, see:
Human Rights Lawyer Marks Two Years in Ethiopia Prison