Woyanne prosecutors demanded the death penalty on Monday for opposition officials and journalists convicted of trying to overthrow the government, treason and inciting violence.
“Since they have been found guilty on all counts, they should be punished with the highest penalty,” prosecutor Abraham Tetemke told the court.
The prosecutor also requested the court to confiscate all the properties of the journalists and publishers who were convicted along with the opposition leaders.
The court is expected to issue a sentence on July 16.
The accused, who have chosen not to defend themselves, did not speak during today’s session, but will have a chance to do so during next week’s court session. “They have not shown any sign of regret in the court, and they have not accepted the sovereignty of the court,” said prosecutor Abraham Tetemke.
“Therefore we request that they should be punished with capital punishment.” “The accused conspired to overthrow the government. In the process, they have created havoc, destroying state and private proerty. They are also responsible for the deaths of security forces and because of this we request the death penalty,” the prosecutor added.
The court gave the accused a week to provide any mitigating evidence. The judge had been due to pass sentence but he adjourned the hearing for a week to allow those convicted the chance to respond to the prosecutor’s statement.
The opposition leaders continue to hold a position that they do not recognize the legitimacy of the court and will not submit any document or evidence.
The courtroom was packed with relatives of the accused, who sobbed as they heard the prosecutors’ demand.
One woman sitting among the friends and relatives laughed derisively when the prosecutor demanded the death sentences. Judge Adil, thinking that the person who laughed was Ato Abayneh Berhanu’s wife, told her to leave the court. When she said that he is mistaking her for another person, [firde gemdil] Adil said that he will hold her in contempt unless she leaves the court room. He stopped the proceedings until she was escorted out.
The BBC’s Elizabeth Blunt in Addis Ababa says the constant delays are hard for some of the prisoners’ families to bear.
Some women were visibly upset; others said bitterly that the government was deliberately delaying the case and playing with their lives.
After court adjourned, family members of the accused shuffled out silently, some with shocked looks on their faces, others wiping away tears.
Mulatu Teklu, 67, walked dazedly out of court after he learned that his youngest son, 32-year-old Yenene Mulatu, could die for his actions.
“I’m very sorry,” he said, shaking his head. “I’m very sorry.”
Others were more optimistic. Asrat Tassie, a former defendant and opposition politician who was among 25 defendants released from jail in April, said he was sure that a deal to pardon the leaders would come to fruition.
The officials were convicted last month of charges relating to violent protests over disputed elections in 2005 which the opposition says were rigged.
Nearly 200 people were killed in clashes between protesters and security forces over the vote that altered the political landscape in the Horn of Africa country of 81m people, handing the opposition a vastly increased share of parliamentary seats.
Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has said he regretted the post-poll 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 to be released as “shameful and wrong”.
BBC reporter says that the sentences may not be the end of the story. The Meles regime has repeatedly said it cannot interfere in the judicial process. However once sentence has been passed, then there may be the possibility of clemency or pardon.
Some of those close to the prisoners now feel that talk of possible pardon is a false hope that comes from non-government sources and that the rumors could be a ploy by the Meles regime to minimize public anger. The latest talk is granting commutation of sentence from death penalty to prison term rather than full pardon. That may explain the prosecutor’s request for the death penalty.
Sources include Reuters, BBC, AP
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25 thoughts on “Woyanne regime seeks death for Ethiopian opposition officials, journalists”
Este weyane wende kehone andachewen chafe yenka, ye Ethiopia hezeb ende chek yekedadedewal. ewenet elachehualehu,endehu le politica tikem makabecha new eyetetkebachew yalew. kenezeh sewoch andu keteneka ene kale yemegabaw 7 weyane member egelalehu.
Woyan algedelm! what are you doing to free them?
Why are you waiting for their death? What hindert woyanes not to kill them?
Me too! If woyane materializes the death penality, I will mu***r as much woyane agent as possible and finally commit suicide!!!
Now a days every body knows what woyane meant; woyaneis the final ethiopian enemy sent by devil. Woyane is a group of garrulous and murderer gangsters, who betryed our lovely country and killed a number of innocent people. Thus, from this kind of merciless goup what we keep? every body has to think of that nothing can be gained by simply observing, but we have to struggle for freedom and democracy,we have to safe our innocent people from hunger and poverty, we have to safe guard our country from being damaged by these wolf groups. In general, any one who loves his people and his country has to defend with out any blame and hesitate,otherwise every thing will goworst and worst. Bye
I wonder Ethiopian review, because we are provided new information about our country’s current situation, and let’s us to know many things happening in our country. Thank you.
Whatever the virdict and its outcome is, freedom and the situation our people are in is demanding a sacrifice. We need to do more than talk and do what those kinijit leaders have done, keep our promise to free our people and sacrifice our personal freedom to free Ethiopia. That is what they have done, they have sacrificed personal freedom and now possible they may pay the ultimate price of freedom in order to ensure the freedom other, our people. We must unite! We must intensify the struggle! Lets stop fighting each other! Lets fight woyanne! Death to Woyanne!!!
I used this trick when i was little, I asked Mum for 50 Birr to get 10 Birr and woyane is trying to play that game…He is trying to scare people for a death penality and he is going to sentence long term …untill he finish stealing and do his animal job…….Ya All Prisoner’s deserve to be free ……. We shall all fight and save the people that gave up their life and family for us! That was not easy am sure! And Melese Histroy will never forget you and forgive you! Do yourself a favour and be a hero ………let the prisoner’s for free and leave the place for democracy and Justice…Histroy will Thank you and you will erase all the black marks you have left! Be the african model and do amazing histroy! Remember life is too short to be selfish you have stolen enough now it is time to go…….and do your country a favour! Don’t be animal! Otherwise Ethiopian people wont take no bulleshit from you! Free our leaders and other prisoners…we wont accept no death penality, no long term…nothing…..let the prisoners for free….otherwise you will pay for it sooner or later! May God help you to be wise!
Patience, patience!!! Please hold your breath guys…. As far us my understanding goes, at the moment, The Government is short handed to announce what so ever deal with the prisoners, their case is in the hands of court. Let
Hello Ethipian,
Are our “leaders” really conscious of what they are doing? Do they really think of even for a second their fate of tomorrow? Do they think in such a way getting respect and love of people?… Not really. I was thinking for years the government/the leader is interlligent and wise; but really the opposite. Really shame and living below the statuse of a humankind living only for one’s own bely; not able to be considerate of changing positively the lives of own people. They are so blunt for they do not know how to win love of others; they are so stupid b/c they have never learned anything from the history of successful leaders like mandela. As we have seen in the gallow those who were agonizing their people, no doubt will see them then.
Yowogen dem
Ethiopian People need to wake up and face the facts. This gangsters are mercilous and would not show any mercy to our leaders and our country. Advocating peaceful struggle in Ethiopia is the same as supporting Weyane. This people dont understand what the meaning of peace, there is only one thing that they understand and that is armed struggle. The willingness to fight is the precondition for peace. Let us all join EPPF http://www.eppf.info/ and save our hearo
I shoudn’t born to see and hear such shamefull act of the so called uncivilised woyanes and their puppets who only live for food. It is the act of animals with no responsibility as human being. Lie after lie for just to stay in power and to serve the objective of anti ethiopia gangsters. Let us at least behave at this time by just releasing the jailed innocent leaders, activists and journalists who got fooled by psudo democracy rendered by TPLF. please do not make wrong move at this time. Remember the derg army which was the biggest and the most mechanised in Africa how disintegrated. We Ethiopians are the one who destroyed it and you got the credit using the opportunity. Do not let this happen again. I suggest as Ethiopian to let them go these people free and start democracy from the scratch. Otherwise the consequence will be the worest.
Hei, kinijit members:
You still trying to say somthing.
You better stop it and go to work, Ok.
Forget saving the jailed Neftegna, you become FIVE kinjit parties and will be fiften or more. We knew you, we know you, and we will know you what you do. NOTHING. Maximum talking on radio. Even it is big you do that.
They will get the sentence soon and you will do nothing, nothing, nothing…….
Just watch fighting yourself, you can’t lead a country this way or save even a fly.
Woriegna Trush Bicha!!!
1) Diaspora of which Meles is afraid of is actually not really affecting changes in the foreign policy of US or Britain that much at all as you all can see.
2) Should the Opposition Leaders be found guilty and they will although the verdict might be something different, it does not matter at all! Cause Meles will find another excuse to hold them again and contain them until the public hates them, he’s been playing these games and everytime, they, the opposition falls for it, maybe they’re not as smart as they seem. Just being honest here-
3) Worst case: If the death penalty is handed, the Ethiopian dispora has it’self mostly to blame. We are NOT organaized nor care enough to actually give money and raise awareness. Its known fact that probably, under 1% of the dispora is active in supporting the opposition!! True, Meles has far less support and most of this support comes from 95% of Tirayans! Sad but true! The Tigrayans obviously want their own country after destroying Ethiopia, even after they know he’s an Eritrean Agent, how shameful! This will affect the relationship of Tigrayans and other Ethiopians for generations to come for sure, all thanks to their support of Meles even after knowing he is there to protect Eritrea and her interests! This the people of Tigray will be judged forever in history!
Again, out of the 300,000 Ethiopians in DC and the 200,000 all over US and Canada, SADLY only a few hundred to thousand at most go out for demonstrations and even care to check for news on Ethiopia!! This is fact. I think we should know clearly where the blame lies if the country is destroyed. Yes, Meles and his Tigrayan Front is to blame since they are there to liberate and protect Eritrea, but mostly the Tigrayans and other opportunist few hundred business men who are non-Tigrayan Ethiopians are to blame too. Although the overwhelming majority of Tigrayans are supporting of Meles even to this day in the hundreds of thousands!
What a Sad Sad people and country! Especially, we all know now that the Tigray people and the only modern emperor who said “Ethiopia, love her, die for her” apparently his children are obaying Meles’ the Eritrean Agents saying of “Ethiopia, hate her, kill her”!!
The same will occur later on to them if they follow their cousins wishes…no doubt about it, it’s in the plans already. There will be many many ethnic civil war and Eritrea will have a field day arming the different ethnic groups to destory themselves while the UN and US/Braitain will cry out to stop it but won’t do anythign about it. That is the real world wether you like it or not!!
So, sit there in your comfortable computers, get your popcorn or injera and watch your own distruction! Idiots!
Patience! We have been patient for the last years woyane was rullin and the result is all loss…..loss of our wegene! Bewegene deme laye Patience…..Aye merete laye yale sewe alu! Enanetema menachuhu teneka! God gives our country peace! I really hope so! it is true we should stretch our hands to Egeziabehre and justice will come! Whatever goes around will come around we shall wait and see the work of God! It is possible to cheat people and rule by force…No problem! It is not possible to cheat God …….he is in the power and am sure will judje
Oh ya some of us have not got a family in prison so why worry? let us be patient! Those people in jail can change our country….they are educated and experienced people….be patient over what? over the blood of our wegene? ha?
I really hope Milennuim will be diffrent and a year of forgiveness and reconcillation when you let go of our prisoners our leaders……..enough is enough! Esekemeche? ha? Esekemeche ……….?????????
EPRDF has shown their contempt once again by playing their funny drama. Once again by himiliating the Ethiopian people, mockering his beloved and respected leaders who wrestled them out of the ring in a ballet box. The anger of the people has reached a limit where they can not even live in hiding like your predecessor Mengistu.
What can we do? I mean other than going to ralley’s … We have been doing that for a while and we are not gaining anything. Meles and the asministration is so arrogant and doesn’t seem to care about what anybody says or does.
It just seems there has to be a more effective way of addressing this and saving the lives of these people – that are not able to defend themselves and the world seems to be quiet.
Please solution!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The death of cud leaders should rest squarly on the shoulder of extrim diaspora hate mongers.
time will tell.we ask the government of ethiopia to have mercy on these lost souls of cud leader
It is so amazing, the barbarian Mengistu Hailemariam who killed thousands of people did not even get a death verdict! You mean to tell me, these innocent people who did not even hurt a fly who are struggling for democracy get a death verdict? Life is just a joke! I think Weyane wants a deliberate uprising so that what ever he is waiting for from outside or inside will attack the people. Some thing is up.
Unity, Peace and Liberty for Ethiopia!
Death Sentence?
It is children’s game. Of course the Woyanes’ are sick children who survived through sipping human blood and throwing the corpse to birds for the past sixteen years.
A blood sucker person like Meles knows belittling Ethiopian population, and declaring death sentence aginst Kinjit prisoners for the fact they won the election in a land slide victory. It is ridiculous and dangerous to belittle a nation. For the Woyane regime is armed, should the nation be reviled, attacked, imprisoned, starved? Better anticipate the outcome.
Indisputably, the TPLF/EPLF position has now becom clear to the whole world. The regime who was backed up and assisted: economically,politically,and supply of arms and seiged power in Addis in 1991 is a Terrorist regime.
Because;
During the last sixteen years, Meles Zenawi regime had massacred a large number of people in the Eastern, Southern and Wstern part of the country. Randomely killed individuals, poisoned several others to death,
numerous prisoners were thrown to mass grave at the clock of darkness, it is a history of human genocide by this fashist regime.
Well, what Meles regime represent and perform the work is on behalf of enemies of Ethiopia who regularly open war against the nation for it is known as a christian land. A servant never refrain to do what he is told to do.
I recently heard from various medias that Mr. Sibhat,leader of Woyane paraphrased that they do opt for Eritrea than Ethiopia. From such strategy I may infer the following:
Today, there was a demonstration in London denouncing the imprisonment and kindnapping of Orthodox christians, Pathriach and church men in Asmara.
After the banning of Evangelical and Joahva, the orthodox christian church took its turn and more than 2000 christians were detained.(Source: German broad casting service-Amharic news on 07/09/07)
Where do you think Abagebremedhin’s (So called Patriarch of Ethiopia)together with Meles’s train takes us? Hindering christians to worship God and endangering their lives is a step towards devilish motive.
I hope, the western leaders will be required to deploy troops in the forth coming future to such sites for radicals and terrorists have got the open door policy by Aba Gebremedhin and Melese Zenawi regime for mushrooming.
Precisely, we Ethiopian nationals should act against this bull and terrorist whatever it costs.
Lastly, I want to extend my thanks for Ethiopian review editor to provide us up todate and current information.
This seems to be a critical point for our beloved nation….this seems to be pivotal spot where goverment should be smart player of politics and ensure a safe and sound Ethiopia for all Ethiopians by the time when the Millenium is only around the corner…I can smell that all Ethiopians envisage a developed, peaceful, united….Ethiopia in this millenium…..let’s pray that God appeases the lust for something bad be away from any of us…believe in justice and forgiveness, in love and tolerance, in peace and unity which all could be there when all of us are there for them to happen
GOD bless Ethiopia…AMEN
Let us wait.. Mengistu Hilemariam, the Predecessor of this worst & the most sadist murder Meles Zenawi, was once as powerful as this one.. clearly seen, Meles destroyed Ethiopia.. by his time:
1. Epidemics in Ethiopia claimed millions of lives by a far far far more intensive way than the ever before
2. Ethiopia’s Natural resources mainly forests are threatened to the worst (TPLF Weyanes are ferociously destroying forest plants by their cowardice and foolish reason that they think OLF might be hiding in it.. and also they are making timber bussiness without replanting)
3. Millions of Ethiopians have starved and are being starved to death by an incomaprable & paramount figure to the ever history before.
4. Ethiopia had unneccessary war with Eritrea for a barren of piece of land in the north while the Weyanes are trading the fertile lands of Ethiopia to other states….. by this war, more than 50 thousand lives were lost and also had a devastating effect on the country’s economy
5. Ethiopia had unneccessary war with Somalia by which Weyanes worsened the relation of the two nations which might have an impact in future peace and stability of the region
6. Ethiopia has become land locked state
and many other destructions Weyanes did… nobody needs to be reminded of the Gambella massacre, the Awassa Massacre, The Addis Ababa massacre, and also other mass killings specially in Oromiya and Amhara regions….
Time comes, time goes… history shall never forget the facts!
Dear ethiopian
lets wait and we will c what weyane do. I personally dont trust woyane for a second. for thoes of u who really want take some action if the weyane decide a death penality for the elected leaders of Ethiopia please lets organise as soon as possible. Every parliament member is also responsible for this crime and they have to pay the also. I personally decide to take a part with some frends who really want to gave thier life including me. if any one of you want to participate e mail me. [email protected]
We have to continue flooding EPRDF embassies and their supporters where ever they are. How dare he even have the nerve to talk about death penality. Zenawi and his supporters knows as much us the Ethiiopian people what happened. Lets talk to them in a way they will listen.
Dear Ethiopians,
Shame on those (supporters of the tyranists and inhumanists)who assume the peaceful ways we have come so far as sign of weakeness & lack of courage. Our innocent, legally elected leaders are sacrifing what they can for they believe peaceful dealing could benefit the country. Who benefited from internal/civil war? the Iraquis? Sudanis? Somalis?…or who? I think no one! Who are beneficiaries of a peaceful and civilized way of administration/governance changes? Look the westerners. So why are we not dare to accept realities? What do you think the reasons for most African countries/people are leading the worset lives ever? It is naked truth that due to absence of peace, understanding & democratic way of dealing things among themselves. So why some of us are still staborn to take this fact? It is quite shame on; please come to consciousness and think logically. God bless and help anyone who struggles for the betterment of the lives of our needy people.
Yewogen Dem
Diaspora do nothing !
WORRIE BICHA !
addamie genzebshin quateresh , temechitosh eyenorsh , MESKINUN tagafichalesh . eyandandishim selitan bisetizi yawenesh . HULUM YAWENEW ! yetemare blo AZAGNI yelem . BEIDER metedader yishlenal.
buhuletum woggen yalachihu achafarina poletikegnoch le siltanina le genezeb bilachihu aggerun le meqemat ye mokerachihut anso HIMANOTUN le meqemat issat tiqosoqussalachihu.
buferengi aemmerow yetatebe diqala , mefethe ayametam !
siet hula !
wonde kehonachihu nu enhid! dehawen tewoot, yaddis’aban litt ,ya’americannin burger eye’seleqetu worrie mawerat ayidelem
woregna hula !
Buwodenet weyanne 1,000,000x yebeltennal !
mewalnew wondochu sefer!
worre selchitonal !