According to the Associated Press, a spokesman for Ethiopia's government said today that Feyisa Lilesa will receive "a heroic welcome" when he returns to his country.

Lilesa finished second at the Olympic marathon and put his arms up in an "X" at the finish line in solidarity with the Oromo protests.  After the race and gesture, Lilesa said, "If I go back to Ethiopia, maybe they kill me. If not kill me, they put [me] in prison. If not put me in prison, they block me at airport. After that I don't move anywhere."

But Ethiopian government spokesman Getachew Reda claimed Lilesa "will not face any problems for his political stance. After all, this is an athlete who secured a silver medal for his country."

"Heroic welcome" might be a chilling euphemism, or simply an admission that Lilesa is too famous in the West now to throw in jail for free speech.

Lilesa said he'd like to seek asylum in the United States or Kenya.