Boris Johnson hails return of Briton from Ethiopia's death row
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has praised the safe return to Britain of Andargachew Tsege after he was freed from death row in Ethiopia.
Mr Tsege, who was kidnapped four years ago and accused by the Ethiopian authorities of being a terrorist, was later sentenced to death.
However, in a remarkable turnaround the father-of-three from Islington, north London, touched down on UK soil on Friday morning after spending four years in captivity.
Andy Tsege arriving at Heathrow, home at last, after four years in an Ethiopian prison for defending democracy and human rights. Greeted by hundreds of supporters #FreeAndyTsege#AndyTsegepic.twitter.com/vjwwzT9gDV
-- Reprieve (@Reprieve) June 1, 2018
Mr Johnson also praised the hard work of the Foreign Office in securing his return.
He tweeted: "Good to have Andargachew Tsege back on UK soil after his pardon by the Ethiopian government. Very proud of the hard work Foreign Office staff put into supporting him and his family to get him home safely."
Good to have Andargachew Tsege back on UK soil after his pardon by the Ethiopian government. Very proud of the hard work @foreignoffice staff put into supporting him and his family to get him home safely.
-- Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) June 1, 2018
On Thursday evening Prime Minister Theresa May thanked her Ethiopian counterpart for the release of a British national.
The move came as Mrs May held telephone talks with Ethiopia's prime minister Abiy Ahmed covering a range of issues.
