Ethiopian court orders opposition leaders remain in custody

Dec 2, 2005 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopian Court orders 23 suspects including Eng. Hailu Shawl remain in custody until prosecution file charges against them, the state-run ENA reported.

The Federal High Court has ruled that the 23 individuals including Eng Hailu Shawl, who are under custody after being suspected of coordinating activities aimed at dismantling the constitutional system by the use of force, remain behind bars until the prosecution file its charges against them.

The Second Criminal Bench gave the order that a warrant be written to keep the suspects in prison in a pre-trial hearing on Thursday 1 December in which the Federal Police came up with an application notifying the court that it has finalized its investigations and hand the results of the investigations over to the prosecution.

The bench also ordered that the prosecution file its charges against the suspects to the relevant court within 15 days.

The court, in response to appeals by the defence lawyers for bail rights of the suspects said it denied the bail rights of the suspects in [exercising] its authority bestowed on it by various relevant stipulations in the constitution.

However, the court ordered that their appeals be submitted in written form to its office, and the prosecution come up with its response to their formal appeals.

(ENA/St)