ADDIS ABABA, July 26 (Reuters) – Ethiopian opposition leaders accused the government on Thursday of waging an “intensive propaganda campaign” against them through state media, less than a week after being freed in a clemency deal.
Thirty eight opposition members and activists were freed from jail last Friday after a nearly two-year trial that rights groups and donors complained was an attempt to dismantle the opposition after it made strong gains in 2005 elections.
The defendants were found guilty of inciting violence, treason and trying to topple the government, and 35 of them were given life sentences.
“It is also our belief that the people understand the true nature of the intensive propaganda campaign that the government is waging through the mass media after the conclusion of the agreement,” the opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) said in a statement.
“We are also fully confident that the propaganda barrage will not, in any way, reduce the strong support that the people have for CUD.”
Government officials were not immediately available for comment.
Since the pardon, announced by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, state-owned Ethiopian television has aired several interviews with lawyers who said the trial and the convictions were just.
In a broadcast on Saturday, the chief prosecutor in the case, Shimeles Kemal, said the opposition leaders’ crimes justified the death penalty.
The defendants were arrested after two bouts of violence following disputed 2005 elections in which 199 civilians and police were killed, 800 people wounded and 30,000 arrested according to a parliamentary inquiry.
The CUD said it would continue to “struggle for democracy” and pledged to resolve its differences with the government through a reconciliation process initiated by the same elders that negotiated their release.
The group was freed after the government made public a letter it said CUD leaders sent to Meles admitting their guilt and promising to respect the law.
The CUD said a government statement on the clemency agreement was different to what they agreed to, but gave no details.
“It is our belief that the elders will make public the true content of the agreement at a time and in a manner that is convenient to them,” the statement said.
One thought on “Freed Ethiopian opposition condemn govt "propaganda"”
Should read “Freed Ethiopian opposition condemn Reuters propaganda.”
Dear all do you see what those news media trying to do they never ever say a single word about our Elders… because if Afirca start solving their own problem then we don’t need them anymore… do you see what they are doing.
The question what are you going to do if the govt. play the propaganda… are you going to ban the govt.? they will claim freedom of speech the same way the opp. will claim therefore I hope the opp. will not make another mistake by following the Reuters, BBC,
Who make Reuters a Reuters? We make Reuters by giving them the news break… this must stop we should give our local news reporter the first breaking news instead of Reuters and BBC…
I am hoping one day we have our own African Reuters and African BBC… for this ER can play a greater roll instead of becoming the tool of the opp.