Ethiopian opposition leaders escape death sentence
Mon 16 Jul 2007, 11:42 GMT

[-] Text [+] By Tsegaye Tadesse

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - An Ethiopian court sentenced 35 opposition members to life in prison on Monday, rebuffing a prosecution request that they be executed for trying to overthrow the government, treason and inciting violence.

The remaining eight defendants, including four journalists, were ordered to serve terms of between 18 months and 18 years in a case rights groups and some donor governments have criticised as politically motivated.

"The accused have committed serious crimes, which caused the death of civilians and security forces and attempted to overthrow the government," Judge Adil Ahmed told the court.

"The accused have also failed to present to the court mitigating evidences for the charges brought against them."

Many of the defendants, calling the case a politically motivated charade, had refused to present a defence despite court orders to do so.

Thirty-eight defendants were present, while the rest were tried in absentia. Relatives and defendants in the court wept, while others held their head in their hands in apparent shock.

Adil said they had the right to appeal, but it was not immediately clear whether they would.

"We are satisfied by the decision. It's a victory not only for the rule of law, but for all those people who have sustained damage as a result of the criminal acts perptrated by offenders," Chief Prosecutor Shimeles Kemal told Reuters.

"It is also a victory to our fledling democracy."

JAILED AFTER ELECTION

The defendants, among them the leadership of the opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), were convicted last month on charges relating to violent protests over 2005 polls the opposition says were rigged.

CUD Chairman Hailu Shawel and Addis Ababa mayor-elect Berhanu Nega and others elected to parliamentary seats are also among those sentenced.

Merara Gudina, deputy chairman of the United Ethiopian Democratic Front -- the second largest opposition party after the CUD -- said the penalty was "very harsh".

"UEDF has always said the CUD case is not a court case. It is a political case. We have been demanding that the government should find a political solution to the CUD issue," Merara told Reuters.

A parliament-commissioned inquiry found 199 civilians and police officers were killed in clashes over the vote, which was billed as the freest ever in the relatively young democracy.

The outcome, which gave Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's ruling coalition the victory, sparked two rounds of violence. The parliamentary inquiry found that more than 800 people were injured and 30,000 suspected opposition members were arrested.

The 2005 results gave the opposition its largest showing in parliament. But European Union observers listed a catalogue of irregularities including the intimidation of opponents.

Meles has said he regretted the post-election violence, but blamed it on opportunistic rioters and an opposition conspiracy to topple him by force.

Last month, he condemned calls by Western diplomats for the 38 in custody to be released as "shameful and wrong". The remaining defendants are in exile, and would face arrest should they return to Ethiopia.

The crackdown tarnished Meles' democratic credentials and prompted donors, including Britain and the EU, to halt direct budgetary aid to sub-Saharan Africa's second most populous nation of 81 million people.

Tsegaye Tadesse is an embarassement to Reuters ,he shuld be sent back to Mekelle to join Dimtse Weyane.

Tsegaye Tadesse, a woyanies puppy, is an embarassement to journalism. what a shame!

Azeb,
Tadese may be an embarassment, but your kinds are worse. The weyanes are counting on you. These poor prisoners are legally dead. Just, because they did not receive the death penalty does not spare their families from pain, sorrow and anguish.
By the way, what part of AbaShawel did you live in the 80's. Azeb, you would not recognize AbaShawel today. It is a vibrating part of town. After the Derg prostitues left, it took several years to disinfect and rebuid it. Now, it is a great metropolitan area. It has so much good and bad history.

Hail to liberty

Democrat,
Thanks to Shabia who brought Meles to power ,Shabia should be punished,what ever happens in Ethiopia it has something to do with Shabia.Death to Shabia,the curse of the world.

Weyanie,
I thought Aba Shawel was an Israeli.

Azeb,
Please, you are the scum of the earth. First prostituting with the Derg, now another prostitution with the weyanes. Next, it will be the dogs unless aids votes otherwise.


Hail to liberty

Azeb,
Shifting the blame will not work. Shaebia does not rule Ethiopia. The people that have your behind do. So, you will be out of work very soon. I hope the younger Ethiopian generation put the weyane prostitutes including yourself out of action for good.

Hail to liberty

Weyanie,
I forgot to mention. Your sisters, cousins, aunts are not in Abashawel anymore. You can not visit. They were all uprooted out of the 25 cents round business along with Azeb back in 1991. Like I said, Aba not aboy Shawel is a vibrating cosmopolitan community now. Shaebia did the utmost surgical work on it. No more prostitutes from foreign lands.

Hail to liberty