By Howard Lesser, VOA
Listen to Attorney Michael Clough .mp3
An Ethiopian prosecutor’s seeking of the death penalty Monday for 38 opposition activists has drawn expressions of shock from Washington and outrage from human rights groups. The defendants have until Wednesday to present evidence to reduce their sentence. They have been jailed since November, 2005, refusing to defend themselves because they did not think they would get a fair trial. Author and human rights attorney Michael Clough calls those charges unwarranted. He says that Prime Minister Meles Zenawi cannot be seen allowing death sentences to be carried out in his country.
“It sounds to me like Meles has already laid out the terms. There will probably be some kind of sentence that would seem on the surface to be fairly harsh, but will then allow the government and Meles in particular to claim that he took a reasonable stand, and that he pardoned the leaders, despite their role in the violence,” he said.
The accused include a leading human rights defender, 76-year old Professor Mesfin Woldemariam, several journalists, two women, and leaders of the opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy party (CUD). The defendants face charges of usurping the constitution, and a few are still confronted by the government with leading an armed rebellion against the state. Earlier treason and attempted genocide charges were dismissed as 28 other defendants were freed back in April because, observers say, the prosecution lacked a case. Clough says it’s highly unlikely that many defendants will agree to sign government-fashioned admission of guilt statements in exchange for being pardoned, as has been suggested in the weeks since the defendants’ June 11 conviction.
“It’s possible that there may be some way to work out some sort of a deal if they were to go through with a death sentence. In any of these cases, it would cause serious damage to their international standing, so I’m sure the government is looking for some sort of compromise. But given what’s happened so far, I’d be surprised if many of them (the defendants) were willing to agree to anything that amounted to an admission of responsibility for the violence, which was essentially perpetrated by the government,” Clough explained.
Prime Minister Meles Zenawi is on record as saying there will be no death sentences in these cases. But with prosecutors and perhaps a zealous judge determined to mete out penalties, Michael Clough says the Prime Minister needs to have a ready-made agenda to activate to keep outside opponents from discrediting him.
“I think Meles is one of the more astute political leaders in Africa, and it probably serves his interests to have the prosecutor calling for the death penalty, and then Meles trying to represent himself as a voice of reason. I think that the whole thing is a bit of a charade, because obviously, the only reason that these people are on trial in the first place, is because Meles Zenawi was embarrassed by what happened in the 2005 elections,” he said.
On Monday, US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack called on the Ethiopian government to make a final sentencing determination that helps bolster the rule of law and promotes reconciliation. Clough sees US policy goals in Ethiopia to be motivated by ends far beyond the State Department sentencing objectives put forth.
“The only reason the United States is not speaking out harshly against this is because of Ethiopia’s role as an ally of the United States in the war on terror and its involvement in Somalia. If this same thing happened in any country that the United States was not supporting, we would be denouncing it in the most extreme terms,” he said.
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8 thoughts on “Ethiopia’s regime finds imposing death sentences easier than carrying them out”
Dear Ethiopians,
EPRDF is playing a game on prisons of conscience.I was telling to my friend that Meles is going to say I pardoned the guilts though they have committed wrongs that brought them a death penalty.He is pretending to be clever but he is not.I wish for Meles and his savage friends to start realizing what can bring everlasting peace and prosperity to Ethiopia and Ethiopians with no ones interference.I wish Meles starts to feel what 90% of Ethiopans feel.But we are not lucky to get a democratic and dedicated leader to Ethiopia after Minilik II.Sorry for that.
Meles Zenawi can never ever be capable of cheating Ethiopian people.. if he seems astute, then it is only to outsiders.. he is the most STUPID unqualified leader Ethiopia ever had
The concerns for the safely of the defendants are shared, but who on earth gave this man an authority to speak on my behalf? And speak of my country and whatever institutions there are?
Desta Dagne says
…”The only reason the United States is not speaking out harshly against this is because of Ethiopia
Dear True Ethiopians,
I am forced to come again to comment on how EPRDF government abuses,threatens democratic rights in particular and human rights in general both inside the country and the diaspora.I have been able to see EPRDF’s shameful meetings called in Amsterdam on 10 June and 02 July 2007 but not successful.It was really a shame for the EPRDF’s gov’t.They wanted to transmit their lies about the economy,Ethio-Eritrea case,the war with the Somali and Democratic rights etc, for Ethiopians in the diaspora.EPRDF hand maids had invited only their supporters and some opportunists.They wanted to control the podium by their own supporters.But they could not.There have been some Ethiopians who were really standing for basic human and democratic rights that the meeting could not succeeded as they wanted.
I wish EPRDF gov’ts should have learned a lot from the out come of these meetings:1.They have been trying to hold meetings and rule the meetings like their dead parliament in a country where basic human rights are respected,2.They should have known that each Ethiopian has equal right to discuss national issues and could not be isolated or ignored by any means,3.They should have learned that they are spending Ethiopian’s people money although they think in their narrow mind it belongs to them.This is the reality if they want to know.They should learn Ethiopians will act to change this undemocratic situation in the country.I advise Meles and his circles to think twice and release the prisoners.It is not a defeat but a wisdom.
Debebe Regasa,
It is because people like you that many abandoned action and are given up to mere talk.You may disagree with his principles; but Melese is a practical man ,and he has already accoplished most of his objectives.
Disgusted,
You Meles obsessed idiots! I learned that you cannot open your eyes to see the reality.You are all the same.I already said that you are programmed to be stupid.You need a new software with breliant ideas but still you do not fit for that because you are only Pentium 1.I really sympathize for you.You are all caught by incurable mental disease.
You do not know we are in the new era to discuss on common issues in democratic manner rather than armed struggle?Without bloodshed?But what is Meles and his friends doing?They are going to bring bloodshed to the country.Are you still stick to the donkey’s ‘motto’,If I die let the grass does not grow.
Otherwise If you are human beings,it is time to stand and think our national issue.It is not issue concerns a few of you but all Ethiopians.