Egyptian nationals detained during recent unrest released

Taha Mansour

ESAT News (January 12, 2017

Egyptian foreign ministry said  three Egyptian men, who were held for months in Ethiopia, have been released.

The Egyptian nationals were detained for months during a recent wave of violent protests that claimed the lives of hundreds of people.

According to a report by Ahram online, the foreign ministry secured the release of the three men after a months-long effort.

The Egyptian nationals departed Addis Ababa for Cairo Wednesday night. They were not charged with any wrongdoing, the ministry added.

One of the Egyptians arrested in the raid is Taha Mansour, who moved to Addis Ababa four years ago to work as an assistant CEO of the Radisson Hotel in the capital.

The report recalled that Egypt’s Foreign minister Sameh Shoukry traveled to Addis Ababa in November to discuss the release of the men with Hailemariam Desalegn.

In October, the regime blamed “elements” from Eritrea and Egypt for stoking an unprecedented wave of protests against the Ethiopian government over land grabs and human rights abuses that led the government to declare a six-month state of emergency.

Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi denied the accusations of Egyptian involvement.

“Egypt has never ever offered any support to the opposition and will not carry out any conspiratorial action against Ethiopia.”

Tensions have arisen in recent years between Cairo and Addis Ababa over each country’s access to the Nile River as a water source.