Ethiopia drops charges against 18 lesser defendants in plot trial

Mar 22, 2006 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopia on Wednesday withdrew charges against 18 out of 129 opposition figures and journalists facing conspiracy and other criminal charges following last year’s violent skirmishes that rocked the country, officials said.

“The prosecutor has decided to drop all the charges of 18 accused after having taken into consideration the degree of participation and the age of these individuals,” prosecutor Shemeles Kemal said.

The 18 included five journalists working for the Voice of America and charged in absentia as well as two Ethiopian nationals, one of them a 14-year old.

Only nine of the 18 were present during Wednesday’s court appearance.

The state did not, however, drop charges against any members of the main opposition group, the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD).

“A release order is to be given to the prison administration for the defendants whose names have been mentioned,” high court judge Adil Ahmed said.

The court also withdrew the charge of “attacks on the political or territorial integrity of the state” against the remaining 111 defendants, including the CUD leadership as well as several other journalists and activists.

They still face charges of conspiracy to overthrow the government, and for the CUD members treason and attempting to commit genocide.

Under Ethiopian law, the offences carry a maximum sentence of death.

The trial was further adjourned to May 2, when prosecution witnesses will begin testifying.

The charges relate to violent protests that engulfed the nation after last May’s polls which were won by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s ruling coalition and disputed by the opposition on claims that they were marred by massive irregularities.

At least 84 people were killed in June and November, many in the hands of police, after the opposition called for protests against the alleged poll fraud.

(ST/AFP)