The kangaroo court in Ethiopia today sentenced the elected leaders of Ethiopia to life in prison.
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.
Additionally, Aby Gizaw, Andargachew Tsige, Elias Kifle (Ethiopian Review publisher), Mesfin Aman, and Zelalem Kifle — who were charged and convicted in absentia — are sentenced to life in prison.
The following journalists and Kinijit supporters received lower sentences: Mesifn Jebesa, Berhanu Alemayehu, Wudeneh Jedi, Melaku Oncha, to 18 years each. Abyot Wakjira and and Daniel Berihun to 15 years each. Wenackseged Zelleke (the deputy managing editor of Addis Zena) to 3 years. Dawit Fasil (Serkalem Fasil’s brother) to one year and 6 months.
The court ordered journalists Sisay Agena and Serkalem Fassil to pay upto 120,000 birr in penalty and and shut down their publishing firms.
Judge Adil Ahmed, on behalf of the three-judge panel, said that all those who were sentenced to life are banned from participating in Ethiopian politics in any form. Those who received 18-year or less were banned from politics for 5 years.
Last week, the prosecutor had recommended death penalty.
Adil said that the court decided to rule life in prison instead of death because the Kinijit leaders had only attempted the crimes they were charged with. Since they didn’t succeed, Adil said, they do not deserve death.
For some of the opposition leaders who are 70-year old or more and with poor health (including the 72-year-old chairman Ato Hailu Shawel), life in prison is as bad as a death sentence. Considering the terrible condition at the disease-infested Qaliti jail, even the younger and healthier prisoners will not survive for long.
The Woyanne regime media and Meles Zenawi’s backers at the U.S. State Department may try to spin the life in prison sentence as a better out come than death penalty. But those who have witnessed the suffering of Professor Asrat Woldeyes in jail, today’s court ruling is nothing less than condemning the elected leaders of Ethiopia to death.
Judge Adil said: “The accused have committed serious crimes, which caused the death of civilians and security forces and attempted to overthrow the government. The accused have also failed to present to the court mitigating evidences for the charges brought against them.”
While Adil was reading the decison, Dr Berhanu Nega stood up and started to walk out. Adil said Doctor, we are about to finish, come back. Dr Berhanu complied.
As Adil continued reading, Kinijit vice-chair, Bertukan Mideksa, started to flash “V” sign and the other leaders, including family members, followed suit.
The opposition leaders had refused to recognize the court and did not enter a plea, saying the trial was political.
An independent commission appointed by the parliament had concluded that the 2005 post-election violence was carried out by the Meles regime’s security forces against unarmed protestors and innocent civilians.
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