Two Evangelists in Ethiopia Released from Prison

Compass Direct News reports that the latest in a series of false charges against two Ethiopian evangelists was put to rest on Friday (Oct. 23), and they were released. A court in Debiretabor, Ethiopia acquitted the two evangelists of insulting the Ethiopian Orthodox Church(EOC) in prison, an accusation made by fellow inmates after the two were jailed on false charges of offering money for people to convert. Temesgen Alemayehu and Tigist Welde Amanuel had been sentenced to prison for six months on the false charge of offering money to people to convert but successfully appealed the punishment; after a lower court in Amhara state had thrown out their appeal on Sept. 21, the State Supreme Court in Bahir Dar ordered them to be to be released after paying a 500 birr (US$40) fine. "Thank you to those who prayed for us," Alemayehu said after his release, adding that he was eager to return to ministry.