The Associated Press
WASHINGTON: The United States on Monday urged Ethiopia to grant clemency to 35 opposition politicians and activists sentenced to life in prison for inciting violence in an attempt to overthrow the government.
The prosecution had called for death sentences against the defendants, who included Ethiopia’s top opposition leaders.
“We’re following it very closely,” State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters. “As a matter of trying to bring together the Ethiopian people and bringing an end to this particular chapter of political turmoil, we would urge the Ethiopian authorities to strongly consider clemency for these individuals.”
International human rights groups have widely condemned the trial as an attempt to silence government critics, and opposition leaders have claimed it was politically motivated.
.
Email This Post |
FORUM | 2 Comments
Related Posts
- Court sentenced Ethiopian opposition leaders to life in prison
- Man sentenced to life in prison for killing an Ethiopian in Canada
- Ex-Norfolk State University professor sentenced to life in Ethiopian court
- U.S. urges restraint by Ethiopia and Eritrea
- Daniel and Netsanet sentenced to 2.5 years in prison
some day one day will be melese zenawe tern to go jail when the time coms the crim he comted over ethiopian peple GOd is here viva democracy
[Reply]
July 17th, 2007 at 2:08 PM
Hoping that most US official are sincere and honest when they speak about defending Ethiopian democracy outcome.Their attitute is so protracted that sometime we suspect them if they don’t play a double hiden game.We have not to think about the two past years only but all the past US/Ethiopia relation..Defending Etiopian democracy is defnding Ethiopian ,East African ..world peace and supporting developing countries in all resoect.
let’s see the coming weeks ,months and years.!
[Reply]
July 18th, 2007 at 12:31 AM