|
IDHAE INFORMATION
|
|
Ethiopia's
high court on Jul 16th, 2007 sentenced
35 opposition leaders to life imprisonment for inciting rebellion, after the
prosecution had asked for the death penalty. Among
those who were sentenced were chairman of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy
Party (Kinijit) Ato Hailu Shawel, vice-chair Bertukan Mideksa, secretary
general Muluneh Eyoel, and mayor of Addis Ababa Dr Berhanu Nega. The
kangaroo court in Ethiopia today sentenced the elected leaders of Ethiopia to
life in prison. Five of the life sentences handed down by the court sitting
in Kaliti, some 25 kilometres (16 miles) from the capital Addis Ababa, were
given in absentia. Eight
of the 38 defendants present received prison terms ranging from 18 months to
18 years from judge Adil Ahmed. Prosecutors had requested the death penalty for 38 of
the defendants, who were among scores put on trial on charges of inciting the
violence following the disputed polls which the ruling party won but the
opposition claims were rigged. The
opposition leaders had refused to recognize the court and did not enter a
plea, saying the trial was political. Portrait : Woizero Birtukan Mideksa , is a
lawyer coming from the Oromo
community, developed as a distinct political and ethnic group some time in the
16th century in southern Ethiopia. Young, educated and charismatic, she came
to national attention in 2002 when she served briefly as a Supreme Court
judge made headlines over a crucial court case involving the prime minister
as a plaintiff and his political opponent, former Defense Minister Siye
Abraha, as a defendant. An example of her judicial integrity is the
following. Judge Birtukan set Siye ( a
former government official) free, ruling there was no evidence to keep the
defendant in jail over alleged corruption charges. Meles dispatched his security men to the
court, reversed the ruling, and sent the former TPLF official back to
prison. Siye had accused Meles of
treason as an Eritrean agent who foiled Ethiopia s counter-offensive against
Eritrean invasion in the previous war. She was elected as the first Vice
president of the Coalition for Unity
and Democracy (CUD),ans was arrested among hundreds of people detained
after demonstrations in the capital, Addis Ababa, on 1 and 2 November, in
protest at the contested results of the parliamentary election which took
place on 15 May. Large numbers of members and suspected members of the CUD,
as well as journalists and human rights defenders, are reportedly being
systematically taken from their homes by police. Among those detained is CUD
President Hailu Shawel, who was reportedly beaten by the police who arrested
him. Professor Mesfin Woldemariam, the 75-year-old former chair of the
Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO), was detained on 1 November. He is a
renowned author and human rights defender, who had recently resigned from his
EHRCO position to support the CUD's election campaign. For the past three
months, he has been confined to bed due to a spinal condition, for which he
requires regular medical attention and physiotherapy. The authorities have not confirmed where
any of those detained are being held. Some reports indicate that many of them
may be held at the headquarters of the Central Investigation Bureau
(Maikelawi) in Addis Ababa. None of the detainees are reported to have
appeared in court within the 48 hour limit prescribed by the law. Riot police have reportedly used live
ammunition against participants in the demonstrations, which took place in a number
of districts of Addis Ababa. Over 30 people have been killed and 150 others
are seriously wounded. The demonstrations reportedly began peacefully but
violence erupted after police began shooting at protesters. Two police
officers are reported to be among the dead. The arrests followed a series of non-violent protest actions on the 31
October called by the CUD who are boycotting the new parliament on account of
alleged election fraud by the ruling party, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's
Ethiopian Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). Some 30 taxi drivers were
arrested for honking their horns in the previous day's protest action. Their
place of detention is unknown. The authorities have repeatedly claimed that
the CUD is planning "a violent conspiracy", and Prime Minister
Meles Zenawi had recently accused Hailu Shawel of treason. The CUD has
affirmed its commitment to non-violent opposition and protest. The trial of 129 lawmakers, journalists and human rights activists on
treason charges opened in February 2006
with all but three defendants defiantly refusing to enter a plea. Most were arrested on charges that include "conspiring
against the Constitution," which is a capital crime under Ethiopian law.
Mrs. Mideksa had barely spoken when the microphone was taken away. The charges relate to demonstrations after
May 2005 elections, which the opposition says were stolen by Prime Minister
Meles Zenawi. More than 80 people are thought to have died in the protests,
mainly at the hands of police. On
January 29th 2006, was commemorated as "Birtukan Mideksa Day"
in Boston In recognition of her contribution to the
democratic, peaceful struggle, January 29th was commemorated as
"Birtukan Mideksa Day", for the sacrifices she continues to make in
the Ethiopian people's struggle for Freedom and Democracy. Copyright © 2006 IDHAE. Tous droits réservés.
|
|||
|
|
-->