In December 2009, after the Ethiopian Supreme Court rejected Makhtal's appeal, his relatives in Canada asked Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to directly intervene in the case. On April 18, 2018, Makhtal was released from prison, and returned to Canada on April 21. At the time of Maktal's imprisonment, the ruling Conservative Party was accused by the NDP and the Liberal party of not aiding non-white Canadians imprisoned in foreign countries. After being assured of Maktal's well-being in March 2008, the Canadian government sent Deepak Obhrai, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, to Ethiopia in June to inquire about Maktal's situation.