Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, whose forces loyal to him have been fighting Tigray rebels in the north since late 2020, has spoken of the need for national reconciliation in recent weeks.
Also among those released was the leader of the Balderas Party for Real Democracy, Iskandar Nega, after he spent a year and a half in prison, according to the party.
In September 2020, Iskandar, who founded the party, was charged by the Supreme Court with terrorism.
Authorities arrested Iskandar, an opposition blogger and journalist, earlier in 2020 after unrest following the murder of political singer Hashalo Hundesa in Addis Ababa.
The trial followed a wave of unrest that erupted after the murder of Hashalu, who is widely regarded among many Oromos, the largest of Ethiopia’s more than 80 ethnic groups.
At least 178 people were killed in the Oromia region and the federal capital, Addis Ababa.
Iskandar, an Amhara, was convicted along with more than 10 other activists, including politician and media mogul Jawhar Mohamed, an Oromo.
It was not clear whether the authorities released others.
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